Hop Along - Painted Shut

Hop Along
Painted Shut
2015
Hop Along - Painted Shut

The truth is I missed this one. In reviewing 365 albums in a year somehow this absolutely stellar album from Hop Along passed me by and that is a shame. With Punk infused vocals and a sound that can be called nothing but classic this pure rock and roll band out of Philadelphia bring an energy that simply works. Power and aggression is never sacrificed for melody and the inverse is the same as well. You find yourself nodding your head and pumping your fist from the first listen because this music is pure in a way that so little is these days. The lack of effect on the instrumentation is so fresh and not in the Lo-Fi forced kind of way. This is the music you sat around listening to your friends play in high school but at a much much higher level. The writing is also razor sharp diving into the minutiae of everyday life but also holding on to bigger bolder themes to keep the music connected. For anyone who has ever listened to the likes of Neil Young or Bruce Springsteen and wanted something just a little grittier, something more hometown, then Painted Shut  is the album for you.

Frances Quinlan's vocals come out in a rasp like something needs to be said and yelling won't do the same way whispering won't. Her delivery is just spot on fluctuating with the situation which is clearly displayed on "Waitress" where almost word to word she goes from a hoarse yell to a soft sing. You will find yourself getting completely lost in the music, which is a shame beccause the lyrics are so poignant, but it just further illustrates how really great this album is. "Powerful Man" is quite possibly the best track on an album full of them, with Qiunlan telling you a direct story surrounded by deep bass and a swirling guitar. "I Saw My Twin" shows Quinlan's ability to croon with the best of them making a track that sides more with the melodic than it does with the energy, but it is a perfectly placed little respite towards the end of the record. There may not been a great deal of inventiveness on Painted Shut, but there doesn't need to be when a band simply does everything right. Don't miss this one like I did.

8.9 out of 10