Hooton Tennis Club
Big Box Of Chocolates
Heavenly Recordings
Chris X hears a Hooton!
To be honest, the title of the album didnβt grab me (enter obvious Forrest Gump reference here), considering this groupβs penchant for long song titles off their last album. The indie boys from Chester, England return with a 41 minute sophomore distraction. Ryan MurphyΒ (vocals/guitar),Β James MaddenΒ (vocals/guitar),Β Callum McFaddenΒ (bass) &Β Harry ChalmersΒ (drums) continue with their indie, hazy guitar pop songs about the simplicities of life. Having enjoyed βJasperβ off their debut album Highest Point In Cliff Town (2015), I was interested to see if they would continue with their curious literary song titles with simple, yet laid back tracks. After listening to the album multiple times, Hootonβs songwriting talent continues to be on the upswing here as their song structures drip with jangly hooks, with some limited distortion being used in the right spots.
Memories of Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz) come to mind as we close our eyes to Ryan Murphyβs rustic vocals of pop melodicism throughout this balanced album between slow, mid and fast tempos. βGrowing Concernsβ starts off the list with a slight noise opening for a few seconds as the plodding drums introduce Murphyβs strong vocals, paired with the fuzzy guitar. The guitar sound and tempo in certain areas of the song (along with instrumental pauses) does remind me of βJasperβ off their last album…..? This track gives the album a strong start. Furthermore, I loved the sound bite of the random dog barking during the bridge of the tune …something different, and appreciated. Other catchy songs of note include the openings to βBad Dreamβ (the leading chord progressions in the opening of this song reminds me of a sped up Grimes song, βEasilyβ. Has to be a coincidence, right?) and βO Man, Won’t You Melt Me?β. An idea of note can be found vocally, where Murphyβs vocals stretch on βO Man, Won’t You Melt Me?β as he goes from a primary note to the octave in this song as James sings underneath those vocals. Wonderful hooks abound on most tracks (βGrowing Concernsβ, βSit Like Raviβ, βMeet Me at the Molly Benchβ) as the themes are varied as well. For example, βBootcut Jimmy The Gβ is a lovely βday in the lifeβ of Jimmy (great bass that accentuates this track). βKaty-Anne Bellisβ is sung about a flat mate that has moved out. βLauren, Iβm In Love!β is a catchy, happy vignette of a tune about enjoying the company of Lauren. I also love the change in beat structure with the lyrics, as the beginning of a verse is 8 beats, and then the second half of the verse is only 4, which gives the impression of cutting off the verse, but the lyrics rhyme well enough for us to ignore that fact as we feel the verse would continue. Clever. The band guides us through a variety of genres throughout this release with βSit Like Raviβ (country-esque), βStatue of the Greatest Woman I Knowβ (60s jangle) and βFrostbitten in Fen Dittonβ (I can see this as shoegaze… yeah, I stretched it.). Hooton Tennis Club also has a penchant of weaving noises and other instrumental delights throughout tracks such as βMeet Me at the Molly Benchβ (bicycle bell), and βLazers Lindaβ (cowbell and other interesting sounds) along with other aforementioned songs. The album ends with the title track βBig Box Of Chocolatesβ, which strangely, I feel was the weakest song instrumentally (chord progression-wise) on the album? Kind of wondering why they put this song last on the list? I think a stronger track would have better fit here to end this sublime recording.
The boys come through again with another underrated indie gem of a slow burn album. Easing into the next phase of their adult sound and continuing their growth as a band, Hooton Tennis Clubβs 2nd album is infused with textured musical tendencies, mixed with the simple lyrics of a sage. There is no blanketing of instrumentals as each band members have their own distinct color sonically, when you deconstruct the poignant arrangements. Theyβre moving in the right direction for their fans or new listeners alike as this album is more about quality than content and swims deep in simplistic, chilled mastery. This IS a Hooton Tennis Club album that represents their eclectic grace and flair wrapped within a box of chocolates as each track represents sweet, yummy goodness. With comparisons to Teenage Fanclub, Pavement and Blur, Hooton Tennis Club havenβt taken a huge step away from what theyβve done previously, but itβs enough to keep people interested in listening to this album more than once with a more discerning ear.
ArtistΒ Links
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HOOTON TENNIS CLUB – BIG BOX OF CHOCOLATES
Chris X