Hookworms

The Hum

Weird World / Domino

Street: 10.14

Hookworms = Rubella Ballet + X-Ray Spex + Siouxsie and The Banshees

Switching this on, The Hum wastes little time with first track “The Impasse“ in surrounding the unsuspecting listener with a wall of an overwhelming, fuzzed-out, psych garage / proto-punk sound. It only gets better from here—“On Leaving” drags one’s mind through the depths of simulated madness that doesn’t stop until the needle comes across the more up-tempo, “Radio Tokyo” with a tune that says ”Let’s kick shit over.”

Mostly, though, this album lives up to its name—providing a constant, distorted hum-like sound throughout all 38 minutes. This can be fun if you are on something that gives the mind the ability to wander the stretches of the universe and want something heavy with loads of distortion to listen to. It’s not brilliant, but it’s got a few gems worth one’s attention. –Nick Kuzmack