On the trail of Bloodhounds on My Trail – the EP “Escape” and its launch.
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Bloodhounds On My Trail image courtesy of the band
I have to start by saying: I’ve never been keen on the term “Shoegaze”. All the bands I love that fit under this banner, I’ve found via a different entry point, free of its association. I love the dream-like quality of the genre, fused from a heavy energy, that allows you to be transported cerebrally somewhere new.
Shoegaze is known for distortion, reverb and delay, interwoven with a "wall of sound" and grind, at times overlaid with ethereal vocals or deep disjointed melancholia, as well as a deeply bass affected and relentless (but not overwhelming) rhythm section. Creating an atmosphere where both the band and audience can get lost in the haze, the genre continues to evolve both locally and internationally. Bloodhounds on My Trail are an emerging act from the unpretentious and lively scene in Melbourne. Following the release of their glowing first EP Escape, I met up with Johnny Green (vocals and guitar) and Chris Donaldson (guitars) from the band, to chat about their sound and their journey so far.
Bloodhounds on My Trail (a play on Robert Johnson’s track “Hellhounds on my Trail”) started playing shows in February with their contemporaries from the scene. Jonny O’Hara (bass) and Nik Donaldson (stand up drums) complete the lineup and by May the four-piece had released their first 2 demos “She’s In My Plans” and “Keep On Calling”. Both are strong, powerful tracks which invoke a kind of mature, Interpolian Zen-like transcendence in me; beautifully crafted hues in a rich soundscape. The new EP Escape (released 14th October) progresses from this point to a more fuzzy sound laden with drifting vocal melodies and lead guitar intertwining delicately above. Chris puts it to me that “we really wanted to create a cohesive EP, where it wasn’t eclectic but a package that would take you somewhere”. It certainly delivers on that. All four tracks are extensions on this theme.
Shoegaze is known for distortion, reverb and delay, interwoven with a "wall of sound" and grind, at times overlaid with ethereal vocals or deep disjointed melancholia, as well as a deeply bass affected and relentless (but not overwhelming) rhythm section. Creating an atmosphere where both the band and audience can get lost in the haze, the genre continues to evolve both locally and internationally. Bloodhounds on My Trail are an emerging act from the unpretentious and lively scene in Melbourne. Following the release of their glowing first EP Escape, I met up with Johnny Green (vocals and guitar) and Chris Donaldson (guitars) from the band, to chat about their sound and their journey so far.
Bloodhounds on My Trail (a play on Robert Johnson’s track “Hellhounds on my Trail”) started playing shows in February with their contemporaries from the scene. Jonny O’Hara (bass) and Nik Donaldson (stand up drums) complete the lineup and by May the four-piece had released their first 2 demos “She’s In My Plans” and “Keep On Calling”. Both are strong, powerful tracks which invoke a kind of mature, Interpolian Zen-like transcendence in me; beautifully crafted hues in a rich soundscape. The new EP Escape (released 14th October) progresses from this point to a more fuzzy sound laden with drifting vocal melodies and lead guitar intertwining delicately above. Chris puts it to me that “we really wanted to create a cohesive EP, where it wasn’t eclectic but a package that would take you somewhere”. It certainly delivers on that. All four tracks are extensions on this theme.
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 Image courtesy of the band
The EP begins with “Old Fools”, an atmospheric whirling song that crescendos from the intro through the verse and into the euphoric chorus and continues with an ever-present floating lead guitar to its conclusion. It’s effortless and colourful with an aura and ambience that somehow remind me of The Stone Roses’ “I Wanna be Adored”. At times I find Johnny’s vocals somewhat reminiscent of a younger Ian Brown, but Johnny can sing a darn sight better (sorry Ian!). After a perfect starting point, next is “Dreamless”. This is pop perfection within the constraints of the Shoegaze tag. Love it. It’s a song worthy of single release. The mesh of the instruments creates a wavering danceable sound lifting you into a Manchurian oral aurora. It is just beautiful - a haunting lead, over a fuzzy rhythm, with uncomplicated but ideal drumming and a pulsating bass cascading perfectly through the whole song, matched only by the dreamy vocals. It’s the kind of song you would love to hear loud at an open-air festival.
So what it is it that they are trying to get across to their audience? Johnny tells me they are consciously trying to get people into a head space. “I like going to see a band where you engage with their sound and you get taken to a place where you’re thinking about a lot of things; reflecting about stuff. A real atmosphere where nothing, not even the drums, is too busy, to take you out of that zone… [a place] where you can just think”. They’re big on atmosphere; not one created by over production but rather just what their instruments generate themselves. The production in studio reflects the sound on stage, and this is very important to them. Chris has a “really big thing about capturing the live sound in the recorded sound... just how it sounds is how it is live.” This is indicative of the totally unpretentious nature of their desired creations: no overdubs. |
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They want the sound honest and real to their live output. The production team was selected because the band knew they would achieve that end (the EP was engineered by Matt Hosking and mixed by Rob Long at Birdland Studios and Los Bomberos in Prahran, Melbourne).
We continue to track three, “Jolly”. Is it a statement of irony perhaps? I’ll let you decide. It comes on a bit like Joy Division's “Atmosphere”, especially when the drumming and bass kick in. A melancholic, slower beat then morphs into a sound reminiscent of Jim Reid’s singing in Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Psychocandy” with sweeping guitars. It’s a cool song, more in line with your classic Shoegaze type bands, as is the final song “Silence, It’s Golden”. With an upbeat verse heading to a droning, melodic chorus, it reminds me more of bands like Lush, Slowdive and Curve from the early 90’s when this genre laid claim to the period. Bloodhounds On My Trail have produced a very cool EP and the band should be proud. Escape takes you on a flight, gliding effortlessly through weather patterns not too extreme, but just enough to make you aware of them. I wish it was longer for just this feeling it invokes in me! |
Image courtesy of the band
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Image courtesy of the band
And so I have to ask them “how do you feel about the Shoegaze thing?” They tell me they don’t mind it. They’re not obsessed by it, but it has its benefits, and they love their audience and fellow groups. They comment that it’s a very friendly scene with bands attending each other's gigs and hanging out. Also, these days, with such a massive Indie scene inclusive of such a vast array of styles, some tags certainly help seekers find like-minded individuals and acts. So if you fit a particular style, well why not then acknowledge it? As a band, it doesn’t mean you will be forever harboring within the shelter of its confines, but what counts is that people are given the opportunity to listen to what you have to offer. And these guys have a lotta love to offer!
This was quite evident at the EP launch at DingDong’s on 24th October. The night kicked off with Luna Ghosts followed by Contrast: two quite different bands, both worthy of a good listen in their own right. Bloodhounds on My Trail kicked off with “Old Fools” followed by “Silence, It’s Golden” which sounded pretty good (despite a few issues with the sound - Johnny earlier told me they didn’t have time for a sound check!). Next a new song was premiered, “Gallows” (nice – another cool track into the arsenal), followed by “Keep on Calling”, “Jolly” (which Johnny announced “sounds bit like Joy Division”), the epic “Dreamless” and “She’s in my Plans”. And that’s the show folks - a short but sweet gig. The crowd is happy - they’ve been swaying and dancing away in a transcendent daze, cheering and enjoying. If I have any criticism, it’s purely that I wish I could’ve heard the guitars more. The punctuating resonance that the lead delivers on their recorded tracks didn’t quite come across in the live setting.
This was quite evident at the EP launch at DingDong’s on 24th October. The night kicked off with Luna Ghosts followed by Contrast: two quite different bands, both worthy of a good listen in their own right. Bloodhounds on My Trail kicked off with “Old Fools” followed by “Silence, It’s Golden” which sounded pretty good (despite a few issues with the sound - Johnny earlier told me they didn’t have time for a sound check!). Next a new song was premiered, “Gallows” (nice – another cool track into the arsenal), followed by “Keep on Calling”, “Jolly” (which Johnny announced “sounds bit like Joy Division”), the epic “Dreamless” and “She’s in my Plans”. And that’s the show folks - a short but sweet gig. The crowd is happy - they’ve been swaying and dancing away in a transcendent daze, cheering and enjoying. If I have any criticism, it’s purely that I wish I could’ve heard the guitars more. The punctuating resonance that the lead delivers on their recorded tracks didn’t quite come across in the live setting.
Image courtesy of the band
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I’ll be back to see the band live again! For sure.
And after the earlier chat with Johnny and Chris, I’m left feeling they are enthusiastic, determined and cautiously optimistic. They’re obviously conscious of image (hell man! It's music after all) but there’s no pretense. There’s no ego allowed here. Chris says, “In this band you can’t be set in your ways, because you’re going to get upset”. Trust is of high importance between them. Band members bring in their ideas but it’s only as the band that they carve out the honest finished product. Although they’ve set the benchmarks of being a totally democratic group, a humble mob, with even splits and crediting for their songwriting, they are also very aware that in the music industry, luck plays a big part along with talent and smarts. Luckily, they love what they do. They also certainly ain’t resting on their laurels either, with more releases to follow soon and gigs in the pipeline. Pete Ferenczy Bloodhounds On My Trail play Tuesday 11th November at The Workers Club and Friday 9th January at Boney. |