Released May 20, 2016
I fucken love this band. Anyone who keeps tabs on the Poison City Records roster can testify to their greatness. Hoodlum Shout’s sound, rooted in the annals of classic Australian rock and drawing from a myriad of other influences, sets them apart from their label mates, and in my opinion raises them much higher. They’re up there as one of my favourite Australian live acts, with an exceptionally powerful live show that always leaves you with that feeling that you have just witnessed something special.
Hoodlum’s first album Young Man, Old Man was a sprawling opus of a record, best enjoyed in a dark room by the coals of a dying fire. Wailing harmonicas and the occasional drone of a didgeridoo permeate throughout. The lyrics plumb the morbid depths of the Australian psyche, like a Tim Winton novel, only set in the high plains and urban wastelands of the eastern seaboard. The preceding EP, Horses And Human Hands, was a more lively and up-tempo affair, and despite my love for their slower, darker sounding compositions, ‘History’s End’ is still my favourite Hoodlum song.
On Heat Island, the band take the best of both of these styles, pick you up, and slam you against the wall with them. It opens with Mike Caruana’s signature guitar tone in ‘The Way That You Are’, with the thumping drums and pulsing bass lines of Josh Leyshon and Morgan McDonnell following soon after. The onslaught continues through the next couple of tracks, culminating in the driving rhythm of title track ‘Heat Island’ (the name refers to the phenomenon of urban and built up areas being significantly hotter in contrast to their less populated surroundings). Vocalist Sam Leyshon alternates between almost spoken-word delivery and careering howls, delivering Hoodlum’s political and socially aware lyrical content with his usual passion and urgency, while throwing in some screaming harmonica for good measure.
‘Split The Bone’ is an enjoyable respite from the intensity of the first few tracks, while the hanging guitar strums in ‘Good Night And Good Luck’ is a return to the spacious and moody sounds of Young Man, Old Man. ‘Self Medicating’ and ‘Two Headed Dog’ turn the intensity up again, before the album wraps up with an epic 21 minute triad of songs that begin in a roaring cascade before petering out into an eerie calmness.
I’ve yet to delve deeper into the lyrical content on Heat Island, as I don’t yet own a vinyl copy, but the pieces that are picked up during the first few listens are enough to ensure me that the topics are as polically potent and uniquely Australian as all their previous work. Kill Your Stereo have a nice track-by-track feature with drummer Josh here, that offers a bit of insight into the background of each song.
If you’re into good, honest, raw Australian rock, you need to get into Hoodlum Shouts. Buy this album, turn it up, and if they pass through your town any time soon, do not miss their live show, as they kill it every time. This under-appreciated group have delivered another sick album, and as much as I’d like to keep them to myself, they’re just too important not to be heard.
Favourite Song: Heat Island
hoodlumshouts.com.au | Listen on Bandcamp | Buy on Vinyl & CD | Listen on Spotify
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