Five years, two records down the line, The Hugs are back with a sound that has not aged a day. With three new members and still at heart the adolescent spirit that gave birth to the band in 2007, Danny Delegato released late june a kickstarted third studio album ‘Dirty Gems‘. Candid garage-pop fuzz served with high energy, it offers like both previous records a light-hearted take on the weird world of teenage turmoil. This time though, no half-measures. All feel-good tricks from warping to vocal harmonies and other ‘yeah-yeahs’ are welcome on this record that opens with the effervescence of a Sprite ad and concludes on the bold riffs, screams and heavy basslines of ‘City’, written back in ’07 and by far the loudest song of the album. The Hugs are performing tonight at the Doug Fir Lounge, and will play the Mt Tabor Theatre on August 16th for Portland’s 2012 edition of the International Pop Overthrow!- Tracy Mamoun
