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Friday, August 1, 2014

Nub - Hopper

Name: Nub
Album: Hopper
Year: 1993
Style: Indie Alternative
Similar Bands: Skeleton Key, Tomahawk, Dismemberment Plan, Ned's Atomic Dustbin
"One-Word" Review: Off-Timed Sludge
Based Out Of: UK
Label: Planet Records
 Hopper - Cover & Record
Hopper - Back & Record
Hopper (1993)
  1. Touchsmoke 3:21
  2. Cabin 4:03 /
  3. Rodan 4:12
  4. D.Q. 4:41

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Martin Nichols - Recording
Rachel Hughes - Sleeve Design
Tim Ineson - Vox, Guitar (Lake Situation, Seals)
Adam Ineson - Guitar
Nat Saunders - Bass
Jeff Gerhardt - Drums

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of this band. But while on vacation to the UK, stopping at an OxFam thrift store, I was on the hunt for anything that looked vaguely interesting and was local to the UK. So this, especially with a nice “alternative” year 1993, made the perfect specimen.  I liked the black and white artwork, and it was priced right @ 0.49 pounds. Assuming it is some sort of folksy, lo-fi indie project, since it does not have that shiny early 90’s brit-pop look to it.

Album Review: “Touchsmoke” starts off with a rocking, disjointed bass and guitar section, that sounds like calculated math rock or maybe a little like a sedated Primus. It reminds me of Skeleton Key, and a perhaps little of Tomahawk. The lyrics are spoken over the music, almost as an apologic afterthought. I like the rhythm it follows. It ends on an off-key guitar chord
“Cabin” also follows suit with a calculated stuttering rhythm that is unnatural, yet enticing. The vocals have a little more melody to them, and the song builds in the chorus with equal parts low end bass and chugging, fuzzy guitars.

“Rodan” has a slow start with watery bass and kind of Joy Division-like spoken vocals. The music becomes aggressive and heavy around the minute mark, and quickly backs off for a return to the shoe-gazing atmospheric mood of the start. There is an overall mystic, light versus dark atmosphere to the song.
“D.Q.” has another slow, slightly off timed, side to side droning, building make up to the song. The vocals are started off as spoken, but for the chorus, they transition to a fuzzed out Ned’s Atomic Dustbin cousin. The chorus is very catchy and brings a wall of distorted guitar power.

Stand Out Track: D.Q.

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