The project of Austin’s Charlie Martin and Will Taylor, Hovvdy have become mainstays in the bedroom pop scene, carving themselves a niche with their distinctive downtempo pop songs. Due later in October via the dream team of Double Double Whammy and Specialist Subject Records, their third full-length Heavy Lifter sees Hovvdy continue to evolve while staying true to their core values.
Perhaps the biggest change is the lack of muffled fuzz that enveloped previous releases. Calling on the help of engineer and producer Ben Littlejohn, the band have expanded their repertoire beyond languid rhythms and mumbled vocals. These songs are still undoubtedly Hovvdy, but hold a newfound confidence, a clarity of thought and purpose that wasn’t so clear on previous records.
Take single ‘Ruin (my ride)’ as an example, a song which the band say “explores the often complicated nature of social and professional rejection, and aims to celebrate the power in genuine connection.” It still sounds introspective, but the scenes it captures are easier to make out, evocative snapshots that skate over simple beats and subtle autotuned elements. It’s more rhythmic than anything Hovvdy have done before, and perhaps a signal of a wider change that’s seeing a blurring of the lines between pop and hip hop. The track comes complete with a video shot by Riley Engemoen and Marlon Hedrick and edited by Will Taylor, which you can see below:
‘So Brite’ follows a similar pattern, an earnest and patient song that holds both anxiety and an easy warmth. Unfolding slow and sweet as syrup, the song hinges on a central refrain that focuses on uncertainty and doubt, although never abandons the nostalgic vibes that made us all fall for Hovvdy in the first place.
i don’t know why that I wanted it
to stay like that
i knew that everything would change
when the light came back
once the sun came backwhat if i start to lose my mind
what if i start to lose my shine
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Heavy Lifter will be released on the 18th October via Specialist Subject and Double Double Whammy and you can pre-order it now. The band are heading out on an extensive US tour this autumn, so check out the dates below.
10/18 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda ^
10/19 – Dallas, TX @ Ruins +
10/23 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa ^ #
10/25 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle (Back Room) ^ #
10/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church ^ #
10/27 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott ^ #
10/29 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade ^ #
10/30 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd ^ #
10/31 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel ^ #
11/1 – Charlotte, NC @ Snug Harbor ^ #
11/2 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl ^ #
11/3 – Memphis, TN @ The Hi Tone Cafe ^ #
11/14 – San Diego, CA @ SPACE ^ ~
11/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge ^ ~
11/16 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord ^ ~
11/18 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza ^ ~
11/19 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Ballroom ^ ~
11/21 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios ^ ~
11/23 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court ^ ~
11/24 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge ^ ~
^ w/ Caroline Says
+ w/ Christelle Bofale
# w/ Kevin Krauter
~ w/ Nick Dorian
photo by Santiago RD