This brief, unquestionably catchy shot of story-time pop from Boston’s Hallelujah The Hills documents the fruits of their first trek to an actual, bona fide studio. After the opening barbershop harmony, it shifts into an edgy little pop song that reminds us, wait, of something Promise Ring might’ve uttered during their heyday. Then they lace in some strings and it goes somewhere else just as exuberant. We’ve been seduced by Collective Psychosis Begone‘s group anthemics in the past, but this raises the bar from their debut a few notches.
[Photo by JB Galusha]
Really, this is one of the best things we’ve heard from these guys. Hopefully they play it live. There are certain dates with two shows on ‘em. You’re not about to see double, they’re just hard workers.
03/01 – New York, NY @ The Annex
03/02 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks
03/03 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Beachland Tavern (w/ Headlights/Evangelicals)
03/04 – Ypsilanti, Michigan @ The Elbow Room
03/05 – Chicago, Illinois @ Hear Ya Session (3:00 pm)
03/05 – Chicago, Illinois @ Abbey Pub (8:00 pm)
03/06 – Rock Island, Illinois @ Daytrotter.com (12:00 pm)
03/06 – Madison, Wisconsin @ The Annex (8:00 pm)
03/07 – Minneapolis, Minnesota @ Nomad World Pub (w/ Ela and Curse Words)
03/08 – Ames, Iowa @ The Maintenance Shop (w/ Cloud Cult)
03/09 – Des Moines, Iowa @ Vaudeville Mews (w/ Cloud Cult) **early show**
03/11 – Fayetteville, Arkansas @ New Deli
03/12 – Austin, Texas @ Friends Bar (SXSW Misra Showcase)
03/13 – Austin, Texas @ SXSW
03/14 – Austin, Texas @ SXSW
03/15 – Shreveport, Louisiana @ Jackrabbit Lounge
03/19 – Louisville, Kentucky @ The Rudyard Kipling
03/20 – Lafayette, Indiana @ The Venue
03/21 – Columbus, OH @ Café Bourbon Street
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Some adjustments to the schedule (from their booking agent)…
Feb. 29 @ Union Hall, Brooklyn (w/ Evangelicals & Headlights)
Mar. 1 @ Sound Fix, Brooklyn, NY
Mar. 8 @ M-Shop, Ames, IA (w/ Poison Control Center)
Mar. 17 @ Grimey’s Records, Nashville, TN (6pm)
Mar. 17 @ Springwater Supper Club, Nashville, TN (9pm)
Mar. 18 @ The Dame, Lexington, KY
That band’s drummer is also in another great, weird band from Boston called Ho-ag.
Wow, so that melody’s stuck in my brain now. For FUCKING FOREVER. haha, awesome song.
I’ve been a rabid fan of Hallelujah the Hills since day one, and this song is definitely their best to date. I love how it starts out so nakedly like a trapeze walker on a highwire with just the voice and guitar (it’s fantastic to hear Ryan Walsh’s voice without the distortion that was so prevalent on their first album) and slowly swells as the other instruments join the blend until the whole carnival is in the big top and you want to blast it until your cranium cracks. I can’t wait to hear on what audio-adventures the band will take us on their next album…
HTH are sweet. Hoping to see them at SXSW.
Really solid song. I’m impressed. ::Off to find more::