So confident in its gentle elegance is It Hugs Back’s debut album that it barely offers even a whisper forth on opener ‘Q’. Rather, vocalist Matt Simms purrs into the microphone, while around him a soft wall of sound builds – it’s post-rock gone to the seaside, sand in its sandwiches and a silly souvenir in its pocket, smiling silly with boundless glee.
‘Inside Your Guitar’ is, ostensibly, an indie-rock record that wears its influences – Dinosaur Jr, Belle And Sebastian, Yo La Tengo, Wilco, My Bloody Valentine – quite visibly, but the calm of its execution sets it so very aside from so many other newcomers who mistake shouting loudly for actually having something of relevance to say. This is tinnitus tuned down to a pleasant buzz, all warm tones and good vibrations. “Try to concentrate on the things we like,” comments Simms on ‘Work Day’, and it’s an ethos the band seems to have stuck to across this collection.
But its simplicity has not been arrived at easily. Together for some time and well travelled on their gig-going ventures, It Hugs Back have gradually honed their sound up until this point, perfectly the elements of utmost appeal so that any potential weaknesses – the fairly ‘safe’ nature of it all being the key one, I suppose – are soon forgotten in favour of embracing the wonderful atmosphere of relaxation the foursome craft.
‘Don’t Know’ comes close to Yo La Tengo’s most-countrified twangs, but strums itself into a dizzy spin that can only come from the joyously blinkered naiveté of youth informed by its pioneering elders, but requiring a twist on themes to feel an identity of its own. But unsophisticated ‘Inside Your Guitar’ certainly is not, its formulas ones you can recognise the constituent elements of but no less intoxicating for said perceptions of predictability.
And much of the album’s appeal must come down to Simms’ delightful hushed vocal performance; his lyrics rest at the same level as the instrumentation around them, a musical device factored into the equation as an essential ingredient rather than a separate aspect of the album experience; they are, in truth, the most effective instrument here. Also prominent is the band’s richly textural organ sound, which rises to prominence on ‘Soon’ with an affecting assurance.
Not that the band doesn’t do noisy – ‘Now + Again’ climaxes in screaming Sonic Youth fashion, albeit with harmonies still in check, and ‘Back Down’ packs a percussive punch and a half, even if Simms still can’t coerce his croak into a roar. And rightly so, too; such histrionics would completely detract from the overall impression of this record.
Which is, to conclude, very positive indeed. It Hugs Back aren’t especially unique in any way, yet what they present here is a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Proof positive, if any were needed, that it’s always the quiet ones.
