The Northwestern – Ghostrock EP
by Matthew James on December 7th, 2009
The Northwestern - Ghostrock EP
November 16th, 2009
Bloodbank Records
Score: 8.0
When Hope Of The States announced they were calling it a day back in 2006, the news wasn’t exactly met with too much fuss. It was always going to be hard for them to keep it together despite releasing two of the decade’s most under-appreciated albums. They first had to deal with the tragic death of guitarist Jimmi Lawrence on the eve of debut album The Lost Riots‘ release and then suffer at the hands of an interfering major label more concerned with numbers than quality music. In many ways, the demise of Hope Of The States is exactly what Alan McGee was talking about when he stated that signing to major labels basically leads to an unwinnable situation for indie bands. So after taking a couple of years away from the public glare, frontman Sam Herlihy and drummer Simon Jones have decided to give it another go under the name The Northwestern. Ghostrock is the first widely available release from the new band and early indications suggest they intend to pick up where Hope Of The States left off. Here are four songs bursting with a renewed sense of determination, energy, and desire to prove the doubters wrong.
It’s fair to say that these songs would have fit nicely on Hope Of The States’ swan song Left. Most certainly, this is a return to the emotion-packed post-rock that Herlihy and company were responsible for in the past. What is rather apparent especially on the EP’s opening two tracks is that there is no intention from The Northwestern to not be noticed and skirt around the indie circuit. On the contrary, ‘What Did I Do’ and ‘Ghosts On VHS’ are songs written to be heard by as many people as possible; they are songs ready to save radio. On the surface, ‘What Did I Do’ is the kind of post-punk-inspired rocker that HOTS found success with on Left tracks ‘Industry’ and ‘Sing It Out’ but is unmistakably catchy and full of pop hooks. The introduction of horns on the song’s chorus is new ground for Herlihy and adds a sense of grandeur to the proceedings. After a few listens, it’s clear the driving beat and energy of this song are not a million miles away from Oasis’ ‘The Shock Of The Lightning’ and that, ladies and gentlemen, is no bad thing.
The biggest pop moment arrives on ‘Ghosts On VHS’ with its guitar part close to something Bernard Butler used to be capable of back in his Suede days. Again, in an ideal world, this is the kind of thing that would be gracing the airwaves with its warm accessible melody and lyrics that actually have some meaning. “Please be careful what you hold onto” warns Herlihy, perhaps attempting to distance his new band from his past. The melancholic grace of the sounds of church organs greet the somber opening of ‘House Of Bees’. It’s the first track to veer from the verse/chorus/verse format and is up there with some of the best Hope Of The States songs. It builds and builds from the simple beginnings to become a most heart-wrenching piece of emotive rock filled with marching band drums, majestic aim-for-the-stars guitar sounds, and screeching feedback. “I’m trying so hard to sing it like I mean it” assures Herlihy as if he needs to convince his audience that he is for real.
‘Redthreads’ provides a triumphant finale to Ghostrock; a swirling piece of mind-boggling robotic psychedelia that once more shifts the mind towards The Lost Riots and Left. And this is where the questions will be asked about The Northwestern. Are they really a different band than Hope Of The States? My take would be that they don’t want to be. This is a fresh start for Herlihy and Jones away from the expectations and bottom lines of the business-minded record company. The fact of the matter is that the songwriter remains the same, and a fine songwriter he is. Sam Herlihy is not the world’s greatest singer but in many ways that just adds to The Northwestern’s sound. What he lacks in technical ability he more than makes up for with his heart-on-sleeve performances of some of the most sincere and poignant music out there. There is always melody in the melancholy and light somewhere in the darkness. Ghostrock is a more than welcome return from Sam Herlihy and if you have missed Hope Of The States as much as I have, then fear not: The Northwestern are here to continue that amazing journey.
Matthew James
Menomena