Hymns

The greatest threat to half-assed New York Americana is a quartet called HYMNS, who will be capping off their residency at Pianos and releasing their new EP Appaloosa. The record boldly presents sundry musical terrains over which the band deftly maneuvers. On one end there's the post disco bouncer 'Wedding Day' on the other there's the Latin-tinged string jam 'Ten Bells', which also features Omnichord arpeggios over claves and cabasas without a second thought. Hymns' staple is their technical mastery of traditional folk tambours, as they often incorporate banjoes, slide guitars and glockenspiels without a hint of kitsch or irony. That the New York City-based band's members are originally from North Carolina and Texas might explain that authenticity. 'Twang' does not do justice to something so essential to their sound, but it hints as to what sets them apart from other ensembles also channeling the songwriting of early Pavement. Hymns' credentials shed some light on their appeal; guitarist Jason Roberts was a tour guitarist for Ben Kweller, and the band has also served as full-time accompaniment to Daniel Johnston, earning them footholds in the realms of festival campers to rock archaeologists alike. In their six year run they have released two acclaimed albums (Brother/Sister, Travel In Herds), toured with the likes of Vietnam, Kweller and Lemonhead, and established themselves as a favorite at SXSW. Of their first record, The Deli Magazine said, "You will kick yourself if you aren't the first person you know to own this album." Appaloosa finds the band expanding into new extremes of joy and darkness all at once. "You make the money/ I sell the blood in my veins" singer Brian Harding quips over a bed of horns. And if it's from the heart, Hymns is bringing it in bulk, be it music or blood.