Hovvdy share their 6th album ‘Big World’
The alt-country duo are back with their most ambitious and cohesive collection of songs yet.
★★★★½
Photo: Taylor Clark
Hovvdy are back with their sixth studio album, Big World. The band, made up of the songwriting duo Will Taylor and Charlie Martin, are known for their unique twangy twist on indie pop and Big World is bound to be a surefire hit with fans new and old alike. Its sun-soaked songs are made for being blasted out of your car on a midsummer drive.
Whilst it seems that anyone and everyone is tacking the alt-country moniker onto their records these days, Hovvdy were making twangy indie records long before MJ Lenderman’s Manning Fireworks launched the genre into everybody’s ears.
On Big World, it’s impossible not to get drawn in. The songs are infectious, interesting, experimental and yet incredibly satisfying and easy to digest. It’s the perfect middle ground between writing ambitious and creative songs and wanting to make music that people just can’t get out of their heads.
While the album opens up with the gently lulled finger-picked guitar of Life So Wide, you could be forgiven for thinking that this is just another well-written Americana album. However, just as quickly as the innocuous opener is over, the album wastes no time in firing off in a myriad of different exciting directions.
Things really get going with the excellent Way Down that features their signature distorted vocals. When you couple the processed vocals with their southern inflexions, reminiscent of southern stalwart Jason Isbell, it makes for an incredibly unique and potent mixture.
In an album that has so many clear musical touchstones and reference points, it all sounds so distinct. It’s incredible for a band to wear so many musical influences on their sleeves whilst still sounding exactly and fiercely like themselves. It is as refreshing as it is exciting to listen to.
JJ is one of the album’s highlights with its infectious and chilled delivery. Hovvdy are masters at knowing exactly when to dial it back and when to go for broke. Lead single Blast is another great example as it effortlessly worms its way into your head. Its electronic drums and swirling guitars sound dreamy as if they’re trying to play a more direct and driven version of shoegaze. The vocals bury themselves behind the gorgeous guitars on the outro before exploding out to centre stage. It’s one of the most exciting moments on the record and is exactly the sort of off-the-wall country song that you would love to see someone like Alex G tackle more often too.
As ever, Hovvdy aren’t afraid to be eclectic, and the album has its fair share of more mellow moments, with Starry being another Alex G-inspired example, with beautiful piano and vocal delivery. One of the album’s other singles, Try Try Try, comes out like an absolute freight train with its driving guitars and relentless drums. The vocals are right up front as it burns along right into your brain where it’s sure to not be forgotten any time soon.
Big World never outstays its welcome. It delivers twelve exciting, distinct and creative slices of indie alt-country magic in just 36 minutes. By the time you’ve got to the album closer Wannabe (Radio Queen), you feel compelled to spin the whole thing all over again. It’s the perfect summation of all that Big World has to offer; it’s infectious, creative and absolutely pops.
Whether you’re an ardent alt-country fanatic or a sceptic, Hovvdy have delivered a record that bridges genre boundaries and is incredibly easy to fall in love with. This summer won’t be complete without a spin of it.
Tracklist:
1. Life So Wide
2. Way Down
3. JJ
4. What I Had
5. Blast
6. Starry
7. Try Try Try
8. Junk
9. You Will Go Far
10. Give It Away
11. Untitled
12. Wannabe (Radio Queen)
Big World is out now via Arts & Crafts.
