Released: 7th June 2011Label: Gulcher Records
Genre: Lo-fi Acoustic
TL;DR: Well good. 8/10
'...creates a very asphyxiating listen full of emotions performed with a rather greener grass approach.'
Hypocrite In A Hippy Crypt is the project of a mystery nineteen year old man. The Bloomington, Indiana singer/songwriter has produced over three hundred songs in his bedroom, all spawned from a collection of late nights, pick me ups and craziness.
As well as possessing one of the greatest and ‘out there’ names, the band have also released debut album Tweaker In The Park, eleven songs which talk about the topics of crazy people, oceans, and murder. With influences ranging from Weezer to Elliott Smith to Beach Boys, mixed with a slightly lo-fi take on acoustic folk music, creates a very asphyxiating listen full of emotions performed with a rather greener grass approach.
The Town Crazies begins the album with a raw tone, the mixture of barely in-tune guitar and the optimistic approach of the following instruments produces a sound that could be heard in a film like Juno or something. The huskiness within the vocals of the unnamed man makes the track sound like the feelings from an individual who has experienced a throughout his life, and has grown accustomed to the quirks of his hometown.
The friendliness inside the vocals and the light heartedness of the instrumentation allow for Tweaker to be one of the more accessible records of 2011. The method of sole vocalist with acoustic guitar brings similarities to The Tallest Man On Earth, but the warmth that resonates from the record as well as the occasional arrivals of drums, pianos and banjos makes it sound a lot more homely and comfortable.
It is terribly easy to be caught up within Tweaker because of how relatable it is. There are many songs which touch upon slightly pessimistic views, but these lyrics are always backed up with bright, sunny acoustic guitars and instruments, putting a pleasant background for some dreary topics. Such as the Beatles-influenced Poptimistic, lyrics such as ‘Feeling alone/I’m feeling blue/and then I wake up/and I see you’ are sung with a John Lennon-esque mellowness and enhanced by an instrumentation which sounds almost like Here Comes The Sun. It’s a complex set of emotions but it comes across simply, and it’s beautiful.
Tweaker In The Park is an album which can be played either in the background or in the foreground, whatever the weather. The lyrics and vocal delivery make this an ideal record for the autumn, while the instrumentation makes it a record to be enjoyed in the summer too. It’s a great solid record and soundtrack throughout the year, and will forever remain relevant.
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