Hoopla - Vinyle Orange Transparent

Description

Every quality band has a member who worked in a record store. For METZ, the audacious noise rock trio that released five albums on Sub Pop between 2012 and 2024, that member was singer and guitarist Alex Edkins. Selling indie rock and hardcore records at his hometown record shop during college, Edkins became a devout student of rock 'n' roll, from the psychedelic 60s to the DIY era of the 90s and beyond. *Hoopla*, the propulsive and melodic second album from his solo project Weird Nightmare, brilliantly and originally blends these influences, revealing his musical finesse. Bursting with catchy melodies, *Hoopla* is that cassette constantly spinning in the car, a true summer soundtrack. Both innovative and nostalgic, *Hoopla* will win you over. Weird Nightmare's self-titled debut album, self-produced and resolutely lo-fi, was recorded at home during the pandemic and released by Sub Pop in 2022. Weird Nightmare revealed Edkins' indie rock sensibility, with a penchant for irresistible melodies and catchy choruses. On his new studio album, *Hoopla*, co-produced with Jim Eno of Spoon and recorded at Seth Manchester's Machines with Magnets studio, Edkins explores new dimensions for Weird Nightmare. New musical textures, like piano, bells, and castanets, blend with Edkins' direct songwriting to give these tracks a special glow. It's like a beloved indie director moving up to the big leagues with their first feature film. If Weird Nightmare's debut was an underground success comparable to Richard Linklater's *Slacker*, then *Hoopla* is Edkins' *Dazed and Confused*. Radiating sunny pop-rock, *Hoopla* was produced with just the right amount of fuzz and crunch. The direct and unvarnished recording instantly plunges you into the world of Edkins and his rhythm section: Loel Campbell on drums and Roddy Kuester on bass. This is high-flying power pop; these adrenaline rushes could perfectly find their place in a rock radio slot between The Replacements and Elvis Costello & the Attractions. Or alongside Sharp Pins, Ratboys, and Alvvays. At its heart, this album is a glimmer of hope in our strange times. With Weird Nightmare, Edkins wants to let us know that he still loves the world, and he invites *Hoopla*'s listeners to share that feeling. Seize this opportunity to treat yourself to a moment of grandiose pop magic in our worn-out world. You deserve it.