After discovering SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE’s terrifying (yet terrific) project from this year, ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH, I was excited as ever by the prospect of delving into the band’s prior music. What I didn’t expect was the stylistic differences that the group’s 2018 album Hypnic Jerks would show. Only relating sonically to the new album in the slightest possible ways, Hypnic Jerks displays some of my favorite alternative/indie rock tracks that I’ve been exposed to all year.
Hopelessly cryptic lyrics load track after track on this project, which are interlaced with oddly haunting vocal samples that sound as though they come straight from some home video. Not only does the eerie instrumental help cast these samples into a spooky shadow, but the samples themselves seem misshapen; the things said seem like fragmented sentences put back together in the most confusing, creepy possible order. This can be seen on the album’s stellar opener “Nail I Couldn’t Bite,” where a child declares “Good evening ladies and gentlemen / I’m here talking to you, but I’m not.” This track is an excellent display of what’s to come overall in the project: great indie rock chord progressions, nihilistic views, and glorious vocals. Other examples of the odd sampling are included at many points on the record, such as in “D.O.U.B.L.E.U.R.O.N.G.,” where a grandfather that sounds only vaguely human tells a cautionary tale of his three irresponsible grandchildren. Though this is likely the weakest track on the album, as the second half doesn’t offer much in terms of songwriting to redeem the first half which drags on with this interlude/skit, it still feels necessary in giving the album a bit of a breather. The slow-paced ending to the song helps in doing this, preparing the listener for an even more amazing half of the record. The immediately lovable “Poly Swim” drowns me in the most delightful way, romanticizing the act. The soft bell chiming upwards in the song comes from the stars, bringing you floating in a pool towards the cosmos. I especially love the few points in the verse at which band frontman Zack Schwartz appears to break down, emphasizing the lyrics as though to make them seem the most important (“This will only bring you pain / … / This will only bring you down”). A point on the record which was not so charming straight away for me was the title track, “Hypnic Jerks.” Though it isn’t necessarily a low accessibility song, it took a few listens to realize how special this one is. Taking a more fast-paced approach to what is likely the most indie rock cut on the album, the track opens with isolated droning synths, then quickly moves on to an upbeat, knocking percussive performance. This track is the most solid all around, with addictive vocal deliveries, lyrics (“Take my eyes and flush them out / Paste them to your wall”), and guitar twangs. An indie folk direction is taken on “Mantra Is Repeated,” where we get our first instance of a vocal performance from bassist and occasional vocalist Rivka Ravede. Weaving her lines between Schwartz’s, Ravede’s singing plays a beautiful contrast both through the sweet melody and warming delivery. Another healthy dose of Ravede’s angelic voice comes with the varied soundscape that is “(Without You) In My Pocket.” This one is a journey, making its run time of under 4 minutes seem infinitesimal. It plays a role similar to that of “I SUCK THE DEVIL’S C***” on ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH, as this track also managed to pack what sounds to be an entire album into one song. Fitting so many great ideas into such a short time span should be illegal. Shoegaze elements make their way on to “Can I Receive the Contact?,” which is perhaps the most openly comedic track on the project; the one-off chorus seems like a desperate effort to get someone’s human touch. Whether or not this is meant in a romantic way is unspecified, but it is funnier to imagine this as an attempt to court a potential partner. The only other point at which I find problems besides “D.O.U.B.L.E.U.R.O.N.G.” is the curt track “Fell Asleep With a Vision.” Somehow, this is the band’s most popular track, a fact that incessantly baffles me. Though it isn’t bad once it gets its momentum going, the moment is utterly short lived as it ends in just over a minute. This is all without mentioning the somewhat awkward start the track gets off to, as it takes off without warning; this can be a good quality in some tracks, but doesn’t work for me here due to how rocky it comes off. This record goes out on a great note with the final two cuts, “Monumental Shame” and “It’s Gonna Find You.” Similar in tone to Tame Impala’s “Led Zeppelin” (but not necessarily in vibe or lyrics), “Monumental Shame” is another distinctive indie folk track. Though it’s alike to “D.O.U.B.L.E.U.R.O.N.G.” in that it gives the album a breather (the last one this time), “Monumental Shame” is different from “D.O.U.B.L.E.U.R.O.N.G.” in that it doesn’t drag on in any way and actually contributes to the consistency of the project. The album’s ever-appropriate closer “It’s Gonna Find You” leaves the best impression possible, akin to the title track in that it’s very solid all around. The instrumental break to end the album pulls one last rabbit out of the hat, invoking feelings of contentment in me that no other point on the record had. This album has such a diverse musical and emotional range to offer, and I’m not even sure that I’ve discovered them all. Hypnic Jerks is a great listen for any alternative/indie rock lover. Though ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH may have this one beat in terms of artistic merit and exploration, Hypnic Jerks is unquestionably my favorite SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE record so far. SUMMARY: Dipping into a varied indie graveyard soundscape, SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE pulls out the stops for Hypnic Jerks and delivers one of my favorite indie rock albums I’ve heard all year. RiYL: Yves Tumor, Car Seat Headrest, Lomelda Recommended tracks: Hypnic Jerks, Poly Swim, It’s Gonna Find You
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AuthorEnrique Cardenas III Archives
November 2021
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