EP: Hyde & Beast ‘Hard Times Good Times’

Rating:

It’s the summer. What do we need? I can tell you: We need some glorious nostalgic pop type sounds to fill the airwaves. We need to take that nostalgic pop and then give it a slight modern twist and throw in some flamingos on the EP artwork and voila…

Hyde & Beast are Dave Hyde (The Futureheads) and Neil Bassett (The Golden Virgins). To my shame this collaborative outfit seem to have passed me by despite having two albums under their belt. Even more shocking is the fact that at times they sound so T.Rex influenced, and I love T.Rex. I have some serious catching up to do.

Favoured by the likes of Marc Riley, they must be doing something right. The opening track on this EP, ‘Hard Times Good Times’, is a tour-de-force of sound. It is what would have happened if The Beatles and Wings had collided. ‘Everything You Want’ is a slower paced affair with a glorious piano tinkling away and accompanied by soothing, velvety vocals. There is also a distorted sound in there that I cannot identify; all the more better for it. It is love at first listen.

‘Never Get To Heaven’ is one of the catchiest songs I have listened to in some time. It’s a toe tapper of a track, a satisfying outing. It is stuck in my head now as I write this review. There is something about the vocals on this EP, like snuggling up to a fluffy pillow on a cold night. Closing track ‘Get Up’ is a more lively affair and flirts dangerously with glam rock. It is the kind of song that would be found on Bowie’s or Bolan’s music player. They would thoroughly approve of it.

The whole EP is an accomplished affair with amazing music compositions. I will be returning to it again. I do not normally feel cheated in music but I cannot believe that I have been deprived of this duo’s work. They should be called Hide & Seek as they have done a good job of escaping me, but no more! I am never letting them out of my sight again. This is the soundtrack to chase away the hard times.

Hard Times Good Times is released on 24th July on Tail Feather Records.

Mary Hand
@MaryBHand

Mary B

Mary B

I am from South London. I like writing, Jarvis Cocker and beards. I dislike artisan bread, pretentiousness and people who use the word 'Rad'