Impossible Hair :: What Is The Secret Of Impossible Hair?
Posted by Val in New, Reviews, The Yellow Stereo
As I’m sure you’ve read on the TYS Twitter, PJ is in the midst of moving right now. So I’m here to pick up on his (and my own…mostly my own) slack. I’ve spent the week going through ‘09 releases that I’ve picked up since I’m reading everyone’s lists from half way through the year to get a better grasp on what would make my own list. I’ve made a few discoveries, weathered a few disappointments, but one album that has grabbed my attention since soon after its April 1st release and then kept it was Impossible Hair’s What Is the Secret of Impossible Hair?
This might be the sleeper album of the year, probably because most people outside of Baltimore and DC (and Europe where they recently toured) don’t know about it. But so rarely does a band with such memorable and catchy guitar riffs also have such an obviously strong rhythm section. Roman Kuebler (yes, the same Roman Kuebler of the Oranges Band)’s bass lines feature prominently in some of the album’s strongest tracks (like “Find It”). Sammy Ponzar’s drumming keeps the album running at a quick upbeat pace and provides one of the most interesting backdrops…a spaghetti western-like beat backing an otherwise new wave-inspired “X-ray Man.”
The band has gotten its fair share of Guided by Voices comparisons and understandably so. I mean, they open the album with a song called “Accidental Claustrophobes” for Pete’s sake and a lot of their songs are short and effective. However, they also borrow a few riffs from The Buzzcocks and the vocals of highly entertaining guitarist Joe Ryan (known to wear wigs and do ridiculous kick moves at live shows) recall Sloan. The vocal interplay that occasionally comes in between him and Jim Glass also add another level of enjoyment. Fans of power pop, lo-fi songwriting and amazing musicianship, take note: this may be the best album you hadn’t yet heard all year.
Impossible Hair :: Tambourines of Fury
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Great article, now I am going to have to go out and pick up Impossible Hair’s latest CD.