Hummer have a new album, its released today, we got an early listen.
‘A Quiet One’ begins the album with a big loud crash of guitar chords that break into a slow melodic anthemic song. This is an uplifting track with all the Hummer trademark tight harmonies, a quiet part with an impressive bass run in the middle and distinctly understated lead work that is just right for the track.
‘CUI’ takes the pace up and the growling snarling vocals are almost feel like they are being spat out. It’s still highly tuneful but there’s a hint of temper in this on. A lead guitar riff echoes first from one side then the other until it starts colliding in the middle and bouncing of both sets of speakers building up into a mini guitar tour de force.
‘Whisky Eyes’ charts the perils of fighting insomnia by using alcohol. It starts with an unfeasibly fast bass riff before a full Punk Rock blast from the band kicks in. This is definitely going to be a good one live, it bounces off the walls in its recorded form. The chants and yelled but amazingly harmonised vocals keep coming at you, a nice bit of Celtic sounding lead guitar breaks it up before its away at 100 MPH again.
‘Days’ is deeper and heavier sounding. The bass has a lovely loose sound, you can almost hear the strings rattling on the frets and it adds to the pathos this track has with its ‘waste away another day’ lyrical refrain. The guitar keeps things moving with a shifting blur of melodies whilst the bass and drums keep the energy levels up.
‘Never Mind It’ll Soon Be Monday’ delivers an ironic snarl of lyrics against a surging forward drum propelled musical background. It breaks down into a final big almost Emo guitar based ending as Hummer fight against the impending end of the weekend.
‘Blurring the Lines’ starts with a crisp faster guitar burst. We are entering Stiff Little Fingers territory here. Sharp bits of melodic guitar and growled but still tuneful vocals build this track up to a great ending that ends appropriately on an ‘ah fuck it’ vocal and comes to a sudden end.
‘WA5ive’ keeps the Celtic/Irish sound that permeates much of this album going. It’s not just SLF we have but hints - as in this track - of Flogging Molly or even the Real McKenzies. This is a reflective track about being stuck in a small town and end appropriately with the lyrics ‘please tell me, is there a way out’.
The drums lead us into a blast against online politics as ‘Online Civil War’ hits at social media with a blast of a darker sounding Hummer. Still with catchy sing a lot chorus’s - which reminds me that there are many musicians across the Northwest who contributed short bursts of shouty backing vocals to this album and it particularly noticeable on this track with what sounds like 50 voices yelling along with Will and Joe in parts.
As a side note this Coronachoir was recorded thanks to the miracle of the internet and Will from Hummer being able to keep track of all those who contributed and mix them into the final album and included amongst many others the likes of Chris Lowry from the Warrington ska punk collective, Stefan Holden, Nick Maudslay of No Agenda and The Cosmic Fingers as well as Scott Bradley from Tio Rico as well as the record label Horn and Hoof records, Ben Coyle from MRI in Liverpool and, well, this reviewer. So long ago in lockdown terms I’d forgotten doing it.
’Hard Habits Die Old’ starts suddenly as if in the middle of a vocal line. It chugs along with the bass and drums moving things forward and the guitar frequently providing huge slabs of melodic soundscapes that give the vocals a chance to soar.
Nostalgia is a blast, full on head down charge of pop punk. Growling, rapid fire, hooks thrown out by the second, new ones drafted in and replaced equally quickly. Vocals harmonised one second then bouncing from one voice to another in rapid succession. Banzai punk, no prisoners taken.
There’s suddenly Spanish acoustic guitar and an almost folky feel going on as ‘Rest of My Week’ slides into New Model Army - albeit a snarlier NMA - territory. A complete change of pace, all the Hummer hallmarks still in place but a great way to change things and wind up the album.
Hummer are progressing. They are still underpinned by a love of bands such as Stiff Little Fingers but this album marks a change of pace as the introduce more use of space and less of a headlong rush to the songs end. The bass is always noticeably awesome on a Hummer album but the understated guitar work is now demanding to being listened to in its own right.
The album is released today on Horn and Hoof Records and can be ordered at the Horn and Hoof links below.
Words: RBY. Photos: RBY and Band Media
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Hummer Bandcamp: https://hummerpunkrock.bandcamp.com/
Horn and Hoof Records Bandcamp: https://hornhoofrecords.bandcamp.com/