Enamoring in its eclectic, emotional rock allure, Hazey Grace‘s And Again is a debut album shaped over two years of experimentation, self-production, and painstaking refinement. The Chicago-based project is the work of multi-instrumentalist Brandon Lopes, who recorded and produced the album at home while incorporating unconventional techniques such as running double-tracked acoustic guitars through electric amps, distorted reverbs, and xylophone into his alternative rock framework.
The opening “Intro” showcases the act’s capacity for dreamy, inviting rock emotionality. Lyr lyrical ruminations on “our worlds divided” pair with “who are you? who am I?” headiness, while gentle guitar strums, serene synths, and twinkling piano assemble gorgeously. “Bloom” then arrives with expansive vigor, embracing lush spaciousness and determined themes of self-betterment before transitioning into a second half with more pulsing rhythms and blaring guitar twangs. Then there’s a track like “Space,” which embraces a similar stop-start momentum, shifting between hazier, nocturnal intrigue and upfront guitar-led ardor.
Especially captivating is “Of No Interest,” with its “don’t you just sit there” ascent enveloping listeners in a blend of jangling guitars and solemn griminess, before an exotic-sounding guitar progression takes firm hold in its frolicking energy. The eclectic tonal range on this production is stellar. “Bleak Mirror” is another delight, showcasing the band’s utilization of peppier rhythms and hectic guitar pulses, reminding fondly of a cross between Radiohead’s briskest efforts and the guitar dynamics of Sea Power. And Again is an enthralling success of a rock album from Hazey Grace.
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“Of No Interest” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
