CD REVIEW: HITS – Hikikomori

Shane | 1 April 2015 | Reply

CD REVIEW: HITS – Hikikomori
Conquest Of Noise
April 2014
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
9/10

Produced by the incomparable Rob Younger of Radio Birdman fame, Brisbane’s HITS latest platter is full to overflowing with mighty fine garage rock n’ roll.

Bitter & Twisted and Bullet Train kick proceedings off with noisy guitars, surly attitudes and some perfectly placed female backing vocals making things sound a lot prettier. That’s not to discredit Evil Dick’s vocals in the slightest: the contrast between his nihilistic growl and their sweet tone is one of the things which lift Hikikomori to such rarified heights.

Another factor is HITS sheer, brazen love for rock n’ roll. Radio Birdman is an obvious influence, as is the MC5, a touch of Stooges and Blue Oyster Cult, the sneering violence of The Celibate Rifles, The Saints and very early Rose Tattoo.

Drink Too Much’s raucous garage pop is a serious contender for instant classic status, and its ultra-catchy refrain and chorus will doubtless be perfect for screaming along to from the mosh pit. Not bad for a disastrous relationship song – ‘you drink too much and you talk too much/ you treat yourself like a second hand clutch’.

The riff-heavy G-Banger channels Birdman, fusing smooth melody lines with raw guitars perfectly. Jesus F Christ delivers a punkish slap across the face: ‘Jesus Fucking Christ, you’re mine – what a woman!’ Pinch yourself, dude – you got the girl!

Lost In The Somme brings the horror of war to rock n’ roll (or is it the other way round?) It’s an epic song and yet again, there’s just the right amount of backing vocals in just the right places to knock it for six.

There’s a BOC edge to the Church Song (and a hint of The Church themselves in the jangly guitars) and Up In The Air’s Saints-like sneer ices the cake nicely.

Hikikomori is a niche album – crafted with fire, brimstone, passion, melodic depth, noisenick verve and more than a little insight into what makes a great song tick. It won’t appeal to everyone, but if any of the bands I’ve name-checked above tick a box with you then you should dive in and give HITS a chance, as this was one of the best albums released anywhere last year.

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