Hella

Hold Your Horse Is (2002)

bing_crosby

"WARNING: Hella is not for everyone. This album will change the way you view music forever."

Thus reads the sticker on the cover of Hold Your Horse Is the debut album from this amazingly talanted duo. Being comprised of Zach Hill on drums and Spencer Seim on guitar these two lay down some of the most spastic music around. I'm not talking spastic as in Converge ripping their throats out, I'm talking about a non-stop, indie-audio assault.

I'm not one hundred percent sure how to describe the actual music being played. Spencer apparently listens to nothing but Nintendo music and the first track is indeed Nintendo themed, being played with midi and electronic beats. His guitaring might be compared to an East Bay Ray-ish surf guitar on speed and PCP. Most times it sounds like he is playing two parts at once and that really helps to thicken the music out. Now you might be saying: "He probably is playing two guitar parts, you dumb ass. It is a studio." I have seen live videos of them and Spencer indeed plays every part from the album on one guitar and faster, you dumb ass. That might not seem like much to you right now, avid reader, but I'm sure once you hear Hella it will probably mean a lot.

The drumming. Oh, the drumming. This man is a machine, plain and simple. He plays non-stop fills, crazy double bass, cymbal work to rival whoever you think is best. His use of the kit will make your head spin. You will never view another drummer the same again. End of story.

While listening to Hella your first reaction will probably be similar to mine. "It's good, but there's no groove, no beat. I can't get into this and sometimes it just sounds like noise." If the guys in my band weren't so into this I probably wouldn't have given them much thought. It was definitely talented, but I was still listening to …*shudder*….Pennywise and other punk so I didn't 'get it.' I'm glad I get it now.

If you're like me and becoming increasingly apathetic towards the state of punk music you might want to branch out. These guys would definitely be an eye and ear opener. I still listen to lots of punk, hardcore, emo, but I find too much of it to be boring, re-hashed bullshit. This is not boring or re-hashed in any sense of the word. This is fresh, alive. They have a new album coming out and from what I've heard it's the same style they've been doing only a little crazier. I hope you'll join me when I say: "Yeeeeaaaaa!!!"

RECOMMENDED TRACKS: Been a Long Time Cousin, Cafeteria Bananas and 1-800-Ghost Dance (but really they're all amazing, except 'the d. elkan' which is the Nintendo song. It's a fun listen but nothing you'll be rushing to hear over and over).