Having received acclaim in their homeland of Belgium through winning the country’s most important rock contest, the Humo Rock Rally in 2006, The Hickey Underworld have since followed in the footsteps of fellow native bands such as Das Pop and dEUS. Three years on, the Antwerp quartet release their self titled LP.
It is an album that musically kicks straight in from the off. Launching into upbeat guitars, bass and drums on ‘Zero Hour’ where instantly we can grasp a familiarity of rock n roll bands like Death From Above 1979, and a pre-electro Soulwax.
Approximately five or six tracks into the album we recognise that ’THU’ is a kick-ass party record fuelled with sharp hooks, lush melodies, and heavy beats despite lacking in any real variety. However, for me the stand out track on ‘ The Hickey Underworld’ is the 6 minute ‘Of Asteroids and Men… Plus Added Wizardry’. Two and a half minutes into the track the direction moves towards a guitar and vocal jam that begins to slow the tempo down, where even though it still claims its ‘in yer face’ punk-rock charm it then speeds the tempo up further to deliver a song of epic proportion. The album draws together nicely as the aggression cools down whilst still producing its raw and fuzzy sound.
What I personally like about this record is that it brings a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of some fond teenage music listening experiences of this decade. Bands such as Muse, Nine Black Alps and the Mars Volta all spring to mind when listening to ‘THU‘.
This album has the potential to be a success for the four-piece, where four or five years ago this would have almost guaranteed to be an Indie chart smash. However, a part of me thinks that perhaps this record would have been more in place around 2002 to 2005. But then another part of me thinks… who cares!
Freddy Rothman
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