Living Hour

Living Hour

8
8/10
Tom Doz | March 1, 2016

Oh, fuck off.

That's what I think when I see that something sent to me has at least 2 of the buzzwords: Chill Wave, Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Ethereal, Psyche-steamy, Moody-mellow, Lava-lampy etc. 

What are you? Fucking Ben and Jerry's flavors? 

Why do you need multiple adjectives? They essentially mean the same fucking thing. Stop trying to distinguish, what is essentially synthy EMO for the high-waisted jeans crowd, like it is somehow unique or different from most of the other shit out there with a synthesizer and digital delayed guitar. Think out side of the box used to cut your bangs!!!!

Made up word combinations and clever synonyms is ordinary.....save that for us untalented music ciritics. Artists need to stop trying to define themselves and just write good songs. Normally when I listen to music with those above descriptors all I hear is 'image'. No substance. And it annoys the shit out of me that this 'multi-adjective genre,' aka Shoe-gaze, is so trendy. 

BUT. When done right, what is so often soul sucking, breathes life into me. It's happened with a few of these shoe-gaze bands and it's happening with Living Hour

With Living Hour the songs have a lot of emotion, but it's genuine emotion. Like they did what a band should do when writing music; they play what feels good to them; not what they think will feel good to others.

As soon as you get into the first two tracks it's evident that the band is having some sort of extended euphoric release. The songs are exploding with feels, bright lights and watermelon jolly ranchers. It's a never ending pinata; the candy keeps spilling out until you are like I CAN'T HANDLE ALL THIS CANDY; IT'S MAKING MY TUM TUM HURT. 

or it's like somebody tickling you until you get the hiccups and then puke.

or continuing to have sexy sexy after the messy messy. 

The good feeling just lasts and lasts until you are over-stimulated. But you still want more. And Living Hour keeps delivering. I don't know how they do it. As a listener I've become accustomed to a certain structure in song. Usually if there is a climatic point, a song must build to that point and then trail off. It's like slowly stepping on the gas until you get up to speed. Living Hour just steps on that pedal until your head is glued back and your cheeks are wrapped around the head rest. 

Sure, listening to this album is emotionally draining, but that's the way I like it. Serve me the music through a 1" diameter beer bong hose hooked up to a giant Hinkley and Schmidt tank and fill me the fuck up with feelz.