I came to this band cold. I hadn’t heard their first unimaginatively titled Vol.1 so I had no pre-conceptions except a certain trepidation which comes from being given a promo band shot with a moody bloke in a dodgy bandanna. Vol.II could be painful, alt-metal/post-grunge by numbers.
Hurt is J. Loren Wince, (vocals, guitar, violin, banjo), Evan Johns (drums) Joshua Ansley (bass) and Paul Spatola (guitar, dobro, piano) and Vol.II is, funnily enough, the follow up to Vol. I (06), linked musically and lyrically to its predecessor, as the sleeve notes testify. As with Vol. I, Eric Greedy is the producer who lends his polished touch, letting the rich and varied sound come forth.
The album starts with a whimper. “Summers Lost” builds from babbling water, gentle acoustic guitars, and gentler vocals lulling you into a false sense of security. Then it builds, in come those guitars, the drums and the bulge of J. Loren’s powerful voice until we have a track that whips your ass. It’s a voice which he tempers according to the mood of the song, daring to let it crack emotionally on the heart-ripping “Aftermath” and affecting a folky warble on the beautiful melodic ballad of “Assurance” and powerful “Alone with the Sea”.
That’s something Hurt does well; builds you up, teases you, calms you down, then whammo! whacks up the adrenaline again. They’re not afraid of their sensitive side, but their not afraid to let their testosterone flood out either. “Ten Ton Brick” belts along, as does “Loded” and “Better”. “Thank You For Listening” is a good old fashioned hard rockin’ song with a very satisfactory guitar break. What sets it apart lurks at the end of the track; the most astounding, impassioned howl of anguish. It brought me out in blood-stirring goosebumps even in the privacy of an overheated car.
Article comments
1 - katie mcneill
love this album!