5.0 out of 5 stars
Hunters, Run! deserves a look, May 8, 2008
This review is from: Forgotten Souvenirs of the Modern Age (Jewl) (Audio CD)
And now for something totally different from the rest of 2008, Hunters, Run!. I haven't heard much hype for this group, but upon seeing a link I gave it a shot. From the name of the group, and the album name, Forgotten Souvenirs of the Modern Age, I was expecting this album to be post rock, and thus procrastinated in listening to it, but now I wish I wouldn't have. In actuality, this has a very nineties sound that is equal parts indie, punk, and pop-rock with the occasional artsy touch, such as xylophone or mandolin, and extremely catchy songs. Hunters, Run!'s vocalist has a sound which is a bit of a throwback to the grunge scene, and he is definitely talented. His lyrics are not quite outstanding, but more than adequate, and they fit the sound well. Some might see the band's anachronistic touches as a weakness, because it means they aren't keeping up with the times, but I couldn't care less about that as long as it's good music, and the stuff on Forgotten Souvenirs most definitely is good. Some of the immediate standouts on the album include the punky opening one two of Apollo & Daphne and the title track, which features an insanely catchy vocal breakdown with great harmonies. It's Gonna Be a Dark Dark Dark Dark Night is another upbeat song which easily gets stuck in my head, but there's also a great ballad in Union, CT. It also should definitely be mentioned that one song is titled War During Lifetime, a play on the classic Talking Heads track. There's more to Hunters, Run! than just catchy pop sing-a-longs, though if that's not really your thing. The closing track, It Was Then I Realized that Even this Would End, starts minimally before morphing into a more full fledged rock song, and shows some potential for growth. Songs such as Manly Art, which seems to be about war, and Shake What God Gave You are much less hooky and more rocking, which shows this band can also be eclectic. There is only a weakness or two that I noticed about this album, and the main one is that it isn't longer. There's only nine tracks on the album, which is not enough, but this is a minor problem, and it's nice to see a concise album in a world where artists try to cram as many tracks as they can onto an album. In retrospect the title of Forgotten Souvenirs of the Modern Age is appropriate. In a time when most bands are looking back to the eighties for influence, Hunters, Run! clearly grew up on nineties rock, and it's very refreshing to hear someone trying something different to sound out of place even. Hunters, Run! is not exactly innovative, but they make up for it with great songs, and show potential to get even better than they already are.
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