Words by Jason Lee
Photo by Tyler Bertram
As you may well be aware of already esp. if yr a regular reader of certain other music blogs like Brooklyn Pescatarian or ageingindiedudes.com the latter of which never even responded to my resumé and cover letter (what gives!) Dinosaur Jr. recently played a weeklong stand of shows at Music Hall of Billyburg where the band closed out each show by bringing out a rotating rotisserie display of indie rock titans to hop on stage alongside the, um, other indie rock titans to bash out a couple Dino, Jr. tunes and/or covers tunes with guests including Kim Deal, Kurt Vile, Kyp Malone, and Kreayshawn among others…
…which is a shame (…about Ray? whoops, wrong indie titans of yore!) which not to take anything away from same-sexless love amongst indie rock titans but if Dinosaur Jr. had really wanted to earn the “Jr.” in their name after all these years and all those beers (fun fact: they were called Dinosaur minus the Jr. at first that is until they got sued by noodle-dancing hippie second-string supergroup of sorts Dinosaurs who appropriately to their name included former members of Jefferson Aeroplane, Country Joe & the Fishmongers, and Hot Tuna Salad) they could’ve shone a spotlight on bands from subsequent generations instead who were influenced by their music but hey maybe next time…
…like for instance Brooklyn-based rockers HYPEMOM who you just know are perpetually hyped up cuz their name’s written in ALL CAPS and whose parents clearly played records by bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth while they were still in their collective cribs as confirmed by one band member at least according to the Deli’s not-at-all-official “sister blog” Audiofemme (check it out, you’ll be glad you did!) that being Colin Lord who handles guitar and co-vocalizing duties for the Brooklyn three-piece also comprised of Luke Santy holding down the low end (and co-vocalizing!) alongside Matt Caldamone on the skins and sticks…
…but no matter cuz HYPEMOM not only put out a new single a couple days ago called “Joanna” which serves as the initial sneak-peak off their upcoming EP Has Reservations but also cuz they’re playing a live show tonight on an top-to-bottom stacked bill at local Bushwick live music mainstay Our Wicked Lady and if you have neither seen nor heard “Joanna” as of yet (the video was made by their drummer!) you should really cuz it’s a slashing, rattling, ranting rave-up that comes off like a post-punk fractured fairytale (of New York!) update of Mr. Bob Zimmerman at his most logorrheic and most shambolic or in other words it’s like a “Subterranean Homesick Slacker Blues” for our current (end) times…
…or it is at least up until it grinds to a halt a couple minutes in upon the declaration “I’m just resting” (it’s all right, ma!) and then suddenly tuning into some alien ambient frequencies before transitioning again briefly into a energetically shambling waltz (RIP Shane MacGowan!) with some squiggly keyboard bits and sick bass riffage before transitioning back again even more briefly with a hoot and a holler to the amped-up strut of the first couple minutes before ending with what sounds like some voice-note recorded street sounds including a lonely thrumpeter so in other words it ends with both a bang and a whimper and if there’s a better sonic reminder of what 2023’s been like so far we’ve yet to hear it…
FFO: Single Mothers, Bike Thiefs, Petite League, Shred Flintstone, Stephen Malkmus
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“Joanna” by HYPEMOM
released December 12, 2023
Colin Lord – Guitar and Vocals
Luke Santy – Bass and Vocals
Matt Caldamone – Drum
Engineered and Mixed by Chris Gilroy at Douglass Recording
Assisted by Nicole Harwayne
Produced by Chris Gilroy and HYPEMOM
Mastered by Dan Coutant at Sunroom Audio
Album Art by Cait Carouge and Matt Caldamone