HOSPITALS - I'VE VISITED THE ISLAND OF JOCKS AND JAZZ (LOAD 071)

ORIGINALLY I MISTOOK THIS GROUP FOR A JOHN DWYER PROJECT: IT TURNS OUT THAT NOT ONLY DO THEY SOUND LIKE SOMETHING DWYER MIGHT HAVE DONE IN THE INTERIM BETWEEN PINK + BLACK AND COACHWHIPS BUT THEY TOURED WITH THEM TOO. SO NOT A TERRIBLE-A MISTAKE-A TO MAKE-A!

IT SEEMS STRANGE THAT ANY LABEL MIGHT HAVE EVER BEEN INTERESTED IN A ROCK GROUP THAT DOESN'T REALLY ROCK OR HAVE MELODIES AND RATHER JUST HAS SOME VAGUELY "ROCK" SOUNDING NOISES UNDER A CLOUD OF ATTITUDE AND FOG. IT'S KIND OF LIKE PSYCHOCANDY PLAYED BY AMERICAN TEENS. THEIR AESTHETIC HOLDS ACROSS THE ALBUM: A KIND OF HOMESPUN NOISE PROJECT WITH THE CONTOURS OF ROCK AND ROLL (DRIVEN BY BEATS, BASICALLY) BUT ALL THE LISTENABILITY FACTOR OF ACTUAL NOISE.

IT ISN'T GOOD AND IT ISN'T BAD. THIS MIGHT BE THE LEAST ESSENTIAL LOAD RELEASE TO DATE. IT'S JUST THERE. UNMEMORABLE BUT KNOWS ITSELF. THEY MIGHT HAVE RULED LIVE BUT HERE IT JUST LACKS SHAPE AND DEFINITION.