Week in Pop: Blue of Noon, Cotillon, Gosh!, Sidewalk Chalk

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Hooveriii

Field sounds, found sounds & fun sounds with Hooveriii’s Bert Hoover; press photo courtesy of the artist.

Presenting the latest from Mock Records, we received word from the venerable imprint that the new Hooveriii album will be available June 9 titled Head-Squeeze that was made entirely sans guitars, strictly with synthesizers & a drum machine fed to a Tascam 414 on cassette. Providing us with the world premiere for the muddy & gritty miracle pop of “M.U.D.”, Bert Hoover (also of fellow Mock groups Mind Meld & Jesus Sons) embraces that electronically enabled & enhanced grasp on the senses of infinity where digital & analog dissonance collide together in a consummation of harmony in discord. Making the most out of minimal instrumentation & elements, Hoover illustrates the endless joys & possibilities that can be achieved via the most rudimentary & essential items when put to creative tasks & inspired intentions.
“M.U.D.” exemplifies Hooveriii honing in on the messiness of love, that feels like a frolicking romp in the dampened dirt that rides on the free-feeling of total abandon. Bert’s exercise in minimalism with synths, vocals & a beat machine is utilized to maximum effect where the harmonies buzz & zap like an exclusive party with the insects that lurk beneath the undisturbed surfaces of earth. Romantic feelings are expressed everywhere in every key, chord & muddy moment where the feeling of messing playfully about in the dirt with the one you love is felt all throughout. This is the song made for all home/bedroom recording enthusiasts where Hooverii emphasizes that all you truly ever need is a song & vision in your heart that is intended to be conveyed to cassette for the world to experience as well. Bert Hoover provided us with the following insightful introduction to both the new album Head-Squeeze along with the new single “M.U.D.”:

Head-Squeeze was a challenge I made for myself to make a full length using only my voice, a synth and a drum machine during the down time I had between Mind Meld & Jesus Sons—two of the bands that I play in. It was recorded onto a Tascam 414 cassette recorder to ensure a desired fidelity. I experimented with instrumental tracks and tried to capture vibe over a more tradition “rock” structure”. “M.U.D.”, the featured single below, was actually the last song I recorded for the tape. After showing some friends a rough mix of the tape, I felt like it was missing a more catchy number. So I threw “M.U.D.” together, a pseudo-love song about becoming comfortable with a stranger. Love is mud. Mud is love.


Hooveriii’s Head-Squeeze will be available June 9 from Mock Records.