Posted on 09/21/2005

 

I long ago gave up keeping track of all of radio-rock's Next Big Things – so little of it rewards my investigation that I can live without throwing on the latest bunch of nerdy white guys in suits and bad haircuts. Of course, that means some decent hooks and melodies never make it to my attention. Philadelphia's Hail Social is one band I'm glad floated across my periphery. They toured with Interpol and Secret Machines last year, and have opened for Rainer Maria. No suits, but they apparently all work at Whole Foods.

Lead guy Dayve (awww, how precious) Hawk writes and arranges everything to be like "80's roller-skating music played by a metal band", in his words; it comes out sounding like a near-perfect replica of classic power-pop and dance-oriented post-punk. Think Gang of Four, The Cars, The Clash's poppier moments, Wire, other assorted 80s rock ("Hands Are Tied" starts off like a mutant "My Sharona"), and current mop-tops like Franz Ferdinand.

The band definitely repays repeated listening—solid riffs and songwriting, and they have the courtesy to not make their hooks annoying. The production needs just a touch more sweetening to make those bridges and choruses swell the way I'm sure Hawk wanted them to; a little remixing and "Get In The Car", with its boogified bassline and 16th-note hi-hats, could easily be their breakout single, 2005's "Cannonball" (Breeders, remember?).

But what's with the cover? Those Misfits fans snatching up the CD are gonna be mighty pissed.