It’s fair to say that Hop Along are simple in design. Frances Quinlan plays guitar and sings, Mark Quinlan plays drums, and Tyler Long slaps da bass. They don’t rely on a gimmicky appearance or one-dimensional style through which to frame their music. They’re simply three friends who met in high school and decided to play some music together, goddamnit. Thankfully, after two years in the making, Get Disowned, was born and is proof that American post-punk still has a major lifeline in Philadelphia.
Frances seems to range from cooing sweet nothings to a grunge-inspired yowl at the drop of a hat. Her delivery is refreshingly raw and gives way to the industry standard of being either pitch-perfect or completely hidden within the music. Finally, a female vocalist who isn’t simply mixed into the track but sings with the appropriate intensity of her music. Working to their advantage, Mark and Tyler generally play simple backdrops for Frances’ feral and unpredictable vocals.
Just from hearing diverse tracks like “No Good Al Joad”, Hop Along sound wise beyond their years, opting for a handful of musical textures switching into a stomping chant before transitioning to a somber ode accompanied by strings. From one moment to the next, Hop Along reminisce on popular sounds in garage rock, modern punk, and sometimes come with a little country twang.
Hop Along are an anomaly. They exist in time where music is constantly overrun with blatant copycats and a criminal lack of imagination but they rise above their peers by crafting creative songs with honest lyrics. Get Disowned is an invitation to ignore any sort of scene and helps you forget why numeric rating systems should even be applied to music, especially when it’s this fun. Check out their fall tour dates, they’re planning on covering most of the continental United States, which will also give you an opportunity to buy your own Get Disowned record if you’re of the vinyl persuasion. For those of you who can’t make it, you can stream it below.
Upcoming Shows:
- 8th September 2012 – Rainfest, Albany, New York
- 26th September 2012 – Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Connect with Hop Along: Facebook | Twitter | Last.fm | Tumblr | Bandcamp
