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The Mother Hips have
flown under the radar as true indie music pioneers
for almost two decades. With the release of their
new album
Pacific Dust (available October 27th on Camera
Records), California's unsung psych-pop heroes tell
their story. Hailed by critics for their "rootsy mix
of 70s rock and power pop" (pitchfork.com) and for
their unflinching ability to "sing it sweet and play
it dirty" (New Yorker), on Pacific Dust The Hips'
signature sound rings more genuine and relevant than
ever before.
The Hips - led by co-founders Tim Bluhm (vocals/guitar) and Greg Loiacono (guitar/vocals) - have been playing music for nearly 18 years, and in the process, have had the luxury of exploring and refining their craft. For the band's seventh full-length studio album, The Mother Hips have never been more primed to share their well-traveled tales - the long days and nights on the road, the gritty politics, the smart inward reflections and man, the music! - all delivered with a most appealing balance of Americana storytelling and their California-burnished rock.
Pacific Dust's compositions about penning a song in your kitchen at 3:00 am (the thundering album opener "White Falcon Fuzz"), record company politics (garage-rock boogie "Third Floor Story"), and a father and son's relationship through music (on the ballad "Young Charles Ives") indeed tell the story of many American rock bands. But here's why it matters: The Mother Hips have survived, and in fact thrived, throughout the journey - and Pacific Dust, with its bittersweet melodies, poignant lyrics, and strong and gritty musicianship, is a perfect example of why.
The Mother Hips owe most of
their success to their large and loyal fanbase. Earlier
releases such as Part-Timer Goes Full, Green Hills of
Earth, and Red Tandy have become almost cult classics
among indie music buffs, and the band's most recent 2007
album, Kiss the Crystal Flake, offered proof that the
band still continues to attract new supporters. Over the
years, the band has worked with and played alongside a
slew of renowned/respected colleagues including
super-producer Rick Rubin, Wilco, Johnny Cash, and many
others.
Today, armed with their newest release Pacific Dust, The Hips are poised to take their experience and talent to another level for this next leg of their already epic journey.