Hogyssey

Spacehog | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 10, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Artemis Records
• ASIN: B00005AVRD
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,114 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Jupiter's Moon

2. This Is America

3. I Want to Live

4. Earthquake

5. A Real Waste of Food

6. Perpetual Drag

7. Danicing on My Own

8. And It Is

9. The Hogyssey

10. The Strangest Dream

11. At Least I Got Laid

12. The Horror

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The poorly titled and executed Hogyssey builds on Spacehog's reputation of anonymous alterna-pop, à la Third Eye Blind and Superdrag. This release does not surprise, and therefore does not disappoint. It's something of a concept album as the band claims that the track sequence is "loosely based on the sequence of events in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey." This does not explain the second-to-last cut, "At Least I Got Laid." (By a monolith? Explain, please.) Actually, to be fair, the band does offer up a surprisingly catchy cut on the third track, "I Want to Live." This sudden explosion of competency startles and snaps before the band continues their Hogyssey towards the middle of the road. --Jason Josephes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spacehog - Still Rocks!, May 12, 2001

By 

Rene "mangolasse" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hogyssey (Audio CD)

I am a huge fan of Spacehog and have been waiting FOREVER for their new album...well, it's been worth the wait!! The songs on the album are all strong, containing a mix of the brash, loud ROCK sounds you'd expect, as well as some softer songs. Spacehog songs generally have terrific underlying melodies which are underappreciated. With a smaller label this time round, it's unfortunate that there aren't album lyrics included, and that there isn't a stronger marketing push to propel these guys into the spotlight they deserve [then again, it's commericalization that tends to kill great music]. So while I wish these guys greater success, I kind of like the idea that they haven't become "McDonaldized" and served up for mass consumption. Despite my being torn, I recommend that you BUY THE CD NOW!!

I had the great fortune of seeing Spacehog live in NYC (Brownies) when they were testing out these new songs on a small audience. They are FANTASTIC -- they sound incredible live and give 110% which is really all a fan can ask for. Royston's voice is awesome in live performance. I think they are on tour now with Black Crowes and Oasis which should be a cool show. Check out www.spacehog.com

One last tidbit -- past the 12th song, after several blank minutes, there is an additional secret song/nugget which completely freaked me out b/c it was so unexpected. I thought that was a nice touch. ENJOY!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spacehog's finest hour, January 10, 2003

By 

Noelene Janis "jjlegend" (south morang, victoria Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hogyssey (Audio CD)

What a wonderful and sadly overlooked album.After The underrated Chinese Album,It was 3 years until Spacehog returned with their third album.In that time they were dumped by their Major label after their second album didnt sell as well as Resident Alien
Chinese was a milder affair but this album is a heavy effort,particulary This is America and Eathquake.Other standouts are At least I got laid,The first single I want to live and their best track ever,The David Bowie ish And it is.
That this album and Spacehog are not longer a force in todays music industry is baffling.Their is a lot more to Spacehog than the classic In the meantime but sadly most people dont even realise they are still going.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Odyssey Worth Having, April 19, 2001

By 

Brandon (CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hogyssey (Audio CD)

Spacehog's existence has been rocky, at best, though it's safe to say that they are one of the most underrated, under appreciated bands in rock today. They earned instant commercial success when In the Meantime his the air back in 1995, but the critical reviews of their album, Resident Alien, were mixed. Their second album (The Chinese Album) was absolutely wonderful - a quasi-concept piece brimming with their characteristic tongue-in-cheek humor and musical fortitude. Problems with their label kept them from getting the right publicity, even with some critics finally smiling on them. It's a shame, too, since The Chinese Album was one of the best albums in the last few years.

Three years have passed, and Spacehog has been picked up by Artemis records - a recent, small label unfortunately known mainly for unleashing the Baja Men on the American people. There is potential at Artemis, though, with bands like Josh Joplin, The Bicycle Thief, and, of course, Spacehog. The Hogyssey has Spacehog evolving (a pun I'm sure Roy and Ant want us to smile at) once again, taking all that was good from their previous releases and taking a deliberate step forward. Instead of tackling the future, they have decided to comment on America today. Songs range from the clever, punked-up "This Is America" (that in itself a statement) -- with lines like "I'm feeling needy, cheap and greedy...but I'm not to blame cause my videogame got my mind" and "American history is still just a mystery to me" (after all, they're British - and so is the punk scene's origin) - to the blues-laced space ballad Dancing on My Own, complete with steel guitar (and check out the Rhapsody in Blue piano at the end). Of course Spacehog has its comeback anthem - I Want To Live, as well as two or three radio-ready tunes (Ant It Is and Perpetual Drag come to mind) poised hopefully to lead them back into the limelight and hopefully grab themselves a more mainstream fan base. The end result is an absolutely superb collection of songs that proves Spacehog can adapt without selling out.

The bottom line - go grab this album. And while you're at it, grab their other two as well.