Noisy and wonderful? Must be from Canada,,,
As a rule, something that turns me off about a band is when they categorise themselves as something obscure. Maybe this helps people choose what they will like, but surely they can have a sample listen on the band's myspace. Or just read the reviews that hard working individuals have carefully and diligently written. The general rule is that a band's placement into an obscure genre is as a defensive foil so to not set it into the open market in a “generic” guise. Because that would be dangerous for a band that will only be liked by 50 people, surely?
Hot Springs, according to their myspace account, are Thrash Pop, and should, by my reckoning, should be god awful, self indulgent propagation of something that sounds like a halfway house between thrash and pop. And yet listening to “Volcano” is an absolute treat and something that a lot of those that are unafraid of the mainstream could learn a thing or two from. Featured within are not just a set of accomplished, well crafted songs with sensitive and haunting production, but an overall sound and mood that bares down into your soul and nestles there for some time. In short, it's marvellous.
Let's make no bones about this, the big seller of “Volcano” is the voice of Giselle Webber. Her voice lifts above the music in much the same way as Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane's did, although they could not sound more different. There is such a sense of rawk in her voice that one cannot help but sit up and tune in to what she is singing about. “Headrush”, which opens the album is world-dominating aplomb has Ms. Webber preaching from a lofty height to us, the rabble, beneath her. And it sounds wonderful. And the quality of the album remains throughout. The guitars squeal, bass rumbles and drums clatter, just like their supposed to. Relaxing it might not be, by by heck, its exhilarating, from the slow paced “Gotta DJ” up to the downright sleaze of “Tiny Islands”.
“Volcano” is a triumph in every sense and something that any self respecting fan of guitar based music should be proud to add to their collection. For once (and possibly not only time), the band's description of itself is accurate, much to the chagrin of this reviewer, whose taste of humble pie is more than made up with this excellent and satisfying album.