How's My Pop - On the Hop [Album]

Barnbox Records

November 20, 2009, 10:18 PM

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by Rob H [More from this Author]

How’s My Pop is a four-piece outfit from Lancaster, UK who have just released their debut, “On the Hop” on Barnbox Records. Andrew Raven (vocals/guitar), Tom Diffenthal (keyboards), Matt Canty (bass), and Chris McNeil (drums) spin a variety of grooves but create a sound that lands somewhere between Sondre Lerche and The Arctic Monkeys.

The song-writing displays a maturity one might not expect from a debut release. “On the Hop” opens with the catchy, upbeat 'Soil,' a straight-ahead Pop song that contains few surprises, but is still delivered with a wink and a nod. Don’t get comfortable though! The second track, 'Mr. Sunshine,' has a completely different feel. It is grander and more complex, with sweeping crescendos and quiet sections where they add some strings and horns.

“On the Hop” ranges all over, from the gloomy ‘Bomber Boy’ to the uplifting ‘Fire in My Soul,’ from the introspective, minimalist ‘Hazel’ to the broad and clever ‘Jack.’ How’s My Pop displays a remarkable talent for arrangement. Songs flow nicely and each musician picks moments to add flourishes that sparkle in the moment while setting up the next musical turn of phrase.

The subject matter of the songs add another dimension to the music. No silly songs of benders, fashion, or trawling for women. Instead, we’re treated to examinations of consumerism, crumbling infrastructure, and the search for meaning. Of course, they still write the occasional love song, but the way in which the ideas are expressed is fresh and interesting.

I didn’t like every single song on this “On the Hop.” A couple times I felt they went too far down the rabbit hole and got a little gimmicky. Those tracks were definitely the exception, however. For the most part, How’s My Pop has delivered a debut release of depth and variety that remains engaging throughout. I will be very interested to see where they go from here. The old adage in the music business is you have your whole life to write your first album and six months to write your second. This eclectic mix of grooves and subjects sets the bar pretty high but also shows a great deal of promise for their future.