The debut record from The Hypos is an easy stroll through pastoral Americana as the group use layers of sound and a laid-back, light-hearted sense of joy embedded in their songwriting. These ten original tracks take their inspiration from classic sounds of late 60’s folk rock, specifically the classic era of The Band.
The group was formed by two indie rock veterans as Scott McMicken (Dr. Dog) and Greg Cartwright (Reigning Sound) met up and wrote these tunes, recruiting some of Asheville, North Carolina’s finest (Kevin Williams- bass, organ, vocals Krista Wroten- violin, vocals Evan Martin- drums, percussion, vocals) to round out the core band. The songs get flushed out with added string and horn arraignments from Jared Samuel as the sound expands gloriously.
Big drums and shaking percussion kick off the record on “Me and Theo” as McKicken sings lead around the light, Caribbean-influenced, groove that keeps building with energy, background “Hey’s”, and a well-timed trumpet from Marc Franklin. The opener is a blast and the record keeps things strong around the warbling bluesy grooving, in Booker T and the M.G’s fashion, on “Badway” or the easy flowing, smirking, “Tore My Whole World Down” which uses strong horn work.
The lush pop and strings arrive on “Tell Me Your Name”, while an ominous organ groove highlights “Past Life Woman”. The group easily turns up the tempo on the galloping “All Summer” deploying hazy guitars, fiddle, and swirling sounds while “Heartbroke Town” uses a light skank with a Jamaican ska background and excellent organ work.
The strong bass lines lead “Pictures”, a textured affair that shuffles and sways, swelling via “ooh’s and aah’s”, employing tempo changes and more. The vamping “My Kind Of Party” cuts loose in get-down fashion before the record closes with the warbling, echo-laden “She’s The Boss”. While McMicken and Cartwright are the main songwriters and the bigger names here, this is truly a collaborative effort that works best when the band is fully flowing.
The debut album from The Hypos does not have a standout single, yet the homespun, lower-stakes effort uses a relaxed feeling of communal playing and retro sounds to deliver the goods. Hopefully, this is the start of a solid band that continues to grow, but as it stands this self-titled debut is a pleasant journey from start to finish.
