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Sounds We Found / Maximum Growth and Vigour

When releasing two albums at once that were recorded six years apart, you’d expect to hear some big change and progression between them. With The Hipshakes it seems to be a different story. While I’m not one to complain, I could understand why some may tire quickly of the garage punk groove they’ve settled in.

The album from six years ago, Sounds We Found, kicks off with touches of The Damned, the music unashamedly rushed and ranty from the outset, highlighted in songs such as ‘I’m Alright’ and ‘I Hate Hipshakes’. The rough vocals and punk drums are good, the band seemingly as DIY as can be in this day and age. Beyond the beautifully surfy calm on ‘…’ and the folksy ‘Rovin’ Down The River’, the whole album seems to be a non-stop onslaught on woman troubles and apathy.

Maximum Growth and Vigour is much of the same, with Fall-esque post-punk tinges on songs like ‘What Makes You Act Like That’ and what sounds like a lean towards more standard modern rock than the previous effort throughout. I’d like to see them live and find out if they mix tunes from both of the albums and whether or not I’d notice.

They probably aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, but they remind me of Parquet Courts and Mind Spiders, so that’s a definite gold star from me. I’d suggest checking them out if that sparks an interest.