The Hard Quartet - "The Hard Quartet"

The Hard Quartet

"The Hard Quartet"

Matador

Indie rock super group alert, sound the alarm boys!

We've got Stephen Malkmus here, he was the dude that sang in your (and my) favorite indie band Pavement, as well as The Jicks. And we've got your boy Emmett Kelly on bass who's played with everyone from Will Oldham (A.K.A. Bonnie “Prince” Billy) to Ty Segall. Don't forget Mr. Matt Sweeney from Guitar Movies on Vice TV, a small band called Zwan with Billy Corgan and Chavez. And finally we've got Jim White from Dirty Three on drums who's arguably the coolest dude out of everyone. But all straight G's in their own right.

This feels more like a regular old band of dudes still doing it and still alive, rather than a bloated stadium rock super group like Audioslave or some bullshit. Doy right? But what I really mean is it feels like these dudes like playing together and wanna be around each other. And that's cuz they have been playing together in various incarnations over the years, these dudes are all old homies and you can hear it.

Everyone in the band sings but Malkmus dominates most of the vocal duties, as he should cuz he's the guy. And while it doesn't totally sound like Pavement, I would say that it is prolly the most Pavement sounding thing he's been involved with since Pavement. They hit that sweet spot between familiar and new shit. This band is heavy, fuzzy and hard as their the name implies. And they got a sense of humor.

Ok here's where I get slightly critical cuz that's how I roll; this jawn is a bit long for me, having brain-rot and all. It's 15 songs which clock in at 52 minutes, we coulda chopped it down and left em wanting more boys! But I guess now they got more songs to dish out when they play live so what do I know? I also got beef with the sequencing cuz feels a bit hap-hazard, the second half has more bangers for my money. Gotta come out swinging boys. And finally the cover art feels lazy to me. Be honest, did someone make that in ten seconds on an app? Boys, we can do better in those departments. Call me, I'm for hire.

But you guys got the songs dialed, good work. No notes. Favorite jams are "Hey", "Heel Highway", "Six Deaf Rats", "Action For Military Boys" & ."Thug Dynasty". All in all tho, I fuck with this band.

And I'll see you at the Bellweather on May 3rd Hard Quartet, hopefully you lace us up with VIP passes and let us slide backstage and drink some backstage beers. If that happens your next review will get a higher rating. Buddyhead is not above payola fam.

Also their music video where they remake The Rolling Stones video from the 80's is so sick. Props.

-Travis Keller

Axl sez: