The name Velcro Hooks couldn’t be more apt name for this four piece. Much like Velcro, their self-titled debut sticks to you almost instantly, and grabs you in right away. The Anglo-Canadians have found a perfect hybrid of chaos-infused noise, and strategically placed subtle hooks (no pun intended)
Recorded and mixed by the band themselves, they have expanded on their ‘Gymnophoria’ EP and created one almighty racket. It’s not easy listening but is thoroughly engaging from the slow burning opener, ‘Leaves’. It lures you into a falls sense of security, with walls of screeching feedback and white noise drenching most of the album; shrouding disjointed time signatures and rhythms.
Velcro Hooks have clearly done their homework when it comes to noise-rock. Their self-titled record wouldn’t feel out of place on early releases from Touch and Go Records, and sounds like the bastard of child of The Jesus Lizard and Tad. ‘Wheatglove’, and one of the albums singles, ‘Chinchilla Woman’, are filled with underlying, infectious melodies, and give way to the shimmering psych-rock of ‘Mid Of May’. Each track carries its own style, and it times feels like a compilation of your favourite bands. This doesn’t upset the flow of the album, as the raw urgency in the production keeps it cohesive.
There is no real agenda in Velcro Hooks manifesto other than to make music that they love. ‘Mollys Revenge’ weaves in and out of garage-punk and 60’s pop before dipping their toes back into a pool of unrelenting cacophony with ‘Galaxy Police Club’. One thing that is clear is that Velcro Hooks have been influenced by so many different bands and styles, yet once it has been run through their own filter it comes out sounding wholly original. There are a thousand clones of the aforementioned Jesus Lizard, but when you think that’s who Velcro Hooks sound like they swerve to the left with a different style, changing your opinion altogether.
It will take a few listens to completely get your head around Velcro Hooks debut, but it will get under your skin even if you try to avoid it. While noise-rock can be pretty divisive at the best of times, it’s great when you hear a band like Velcro Hooks pay homage to the past without being a cheap knock-off.
GLEN BUSHELL