The Hunting Club has been making music since 2007, but the Holiday Beach EP is their first official release. The Hunting Club was initially founded by Tim Damon (guitar/vocals) and Matt St. Clair (guitar/vocals) and in 2011 added Josh McCormick (keyboards), Ray McCoy (bass) and John Maiello (drums). In addition to their twin guitars and soulful, reverb-laced vocals, also notable are McCormick's terrific, somewhat understated keyboards (on "These Are The Days", specifically) and the backbeat and vocal harmonies. This is a tight band, clearly having a great time playing together.
Here's "Shouldn't Be So Easy":
The little blips and beeps with the keyboards are a nice contrast to the warm, sort of retro tone on the guitars and vocals on this song, and the changes in tempo add to a sort of melancholy feel in the middle of the song, until they cut loose with the guitars on the last half. "Still Sorta New" has a little more of a country feel - they play it slow until picking up about halfway through and putting the guitars in gear.
"Wolf Pack" shows they can play a blues tempo very well, until they get the guitars screaming into almost punk/metal territory in the last minute or so. The closing track, "This Is (How I Know)" actually veers into a sort of afro-pop guitar for a little while, but in the end the twin electric guitars take over again. Just in case you're wondering, what I like most about this record is their willingness to rock out on the guitars, at some point, on every track.
This is a terrific debut from a rock band that is showing very good songwriting and excellent chops. You can buy a limited edition vinyl from the label, Hood Cabin or buy directly from Bandcamp.
The Hunting Club Facebook
Bandcamp
Hood Cabin Records
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