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The Hanslick Rebellion EP The Deli Of Life has
six tracks that each have their own character and melodic make-up.
The foursome, originally from Albany, New York but now stationed
in New York City, bolster a lo-fi rock momentum reminiscent of
'70s artists like Todd Rundgren and Badfinger and
modern rock boosters in the class of Sirens Sister and
the Old 97's. Keyboardist Jed Davis has some excellent
piano overtones that volumize Alex Dubovoy's guitar textures
so aurally the music feels like a savory bonanza marbled by Mike
Kearns' sprinting drumbeats and Mike Keaney's plump
bass grooves. If the band's EP is a snippet of what THR have to
offer they have the advantage of being able to play in territories
that others fear. THR create harmonies that show they know their
instruments inside and out and where they want to take their songs
without making any of them sound exactly the same; and yet, the
music all sounds like it came from The Hanslick Rebellion. Once
you get the gist of what the band has done with their EP, you
expect even more from a full-length album.
The smooth guitar waves on "Caught" have a soft pop
stroking peppered by mollified piano keys and rustling rhythmic
movements. The funk rock tempo of "Make My Heart Stop"
is steamy with affectionate vocal throbs paired with swiveling
guitar patterns and sparkling synths milling around the melody,
but "You Are Boring The Sh*t Out Of Me" really grabs
the listener's attention and not just with its boldfaced expletives.
The song is multi-textured with a soft punk scope and an interlude
of vaudeville-tinted piano keys and vocoder-enhanced singing.
The lyrics are just as stirring as the music with a chorus that
rings out, "Jesus f*^king Christ, F*^k Off!!/ You are boring
the sh*t out of me/ Take it to the next queue/ Take it to the
next job/ I don't care, I don't care/ Take it anywhere just
get out of here!!" Who hasn't needed to say this to somebody?
The soft rock melodies of "Pop" and "Photograph"
are a fanfare of cruising guitars and pronounced ridges in the
rhythms reminiscent of the likes of Midlake and Rogue
Wave. The piano undertones on "Pop" recall pop metallists
The London Quireboys with rolling rhythms that accelerate
and ease off through the intervals. The final track "The
Day My Baby Broke My Heart" is a soft pop jaunt preening
with light synth fingerprints and heavy bass notes. Davis' vocals
turn gravelly on the chorus parts and chew into the lyrics the
way that Jim Morrison of The Doors did. The instruments
singe different patterns with each song so the listener never
has a chance to be bored.
According to the band's website, "The Rebellion takes its
name from Eduard Hanslick, a 19th Century music critic
of the Vienna Neue Freie Presse. A feared writer whose opinion
could make or break a composer's career." The Hanslick Rebellion's
EP is multi-hued and continually keeps your interest by giving
each song its own persona. The harmonies and intricacies are spot
on and deepen the band's appeal. The band's EP definitely whets
your appetite to hear more from THR and to find out what more
they have to offer.
-Susan Frances
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