Hurry Shimmer, Shine, and Spread Power-Pop Elation on Guided Meditation
By Brody Coronelli - Link: Twitter
One note into Hurry’s new album Guided Meditation and you’ll already know you’re in the midst of something excellent. And make no mistake; Hurry aren’t in any way new to making something cherishable. This Philadelphia-bred trio has been operating behind the woodwork since 2012 when they released a silent killer of a debut album, which was aptly self-titled. Taking reverb-soaked notes from your favorite shoegaze bands and blending it with the lifted melodies and spirit of power pop, the band distinguished themselves as ones to watch very early on.
Hurry’s third album Guided Meditation is a full-blown exercise in shimmering power pop, modernizing the well-aged sounds of bands like Teenage Fanclub, The Raspberries, and Galaxie 500. The band isn’t diving to the core of these sounds and reinventing them, nor are they doing anything particularly new and unique. They are, however, presenting them in a charming, heartening, and utterly enjoyable way that seems incredibly necessary in a musical sphere where many bands go out of their way to dodge any pop sensibilities. While most of these songs only last around 3 minutes, they’re sure to cement their way into your head and brighten it up for far longer than their short-and-sweet runtime. Hurry are entirely unafraid of being catchy, infectious, and bright in all the right spots, and these whims are well rewarded with a stellar collection of songs.
“Fascination”, a sugary song that with a lead riff so infectious that it could replace the chorus. It seems to be smiling from the first second to the last as the band glides over slick lines like: “I’m fascinated by you/But I’m insane, does that surprise you” with plenty of “ooohhs”, “ahhhs”, and keyboard strikes sitting in between. “When I’m With You”, a sweet and shimmering love song that wastes no time getting to the hooks, is just as successful, saying a whole lot with a very little. It’s these kind of schoolyard hooks and swings that make Guided Meditation such a good time. The songs invoke a sunny, suburban, and youthful charm that locks itself in your head.
The songs on Guided Meditation are infectious, bright, and a surefire path to a smile, a foot tap, or a feverous air guitar. Hurry aren’t reinventing the wheel; they’re simply refining it and presenting it as something elated in a way that feels urgent while remaining one hell of a time.
Score: 9/10
Listen to: “Fascination”, “Under Her Thumb”, “When I’m With You”