Hint Hint: Young Days

Seattle’s Hint Hint are a band fueled by a fierce and frantic energy, creating a definitive sound that is greater than the sum of its parts. Their songs are at once savage and tender, utilizing a disparate arsenal of genres, styles, and techniques to fashion a sound that escapes the confines of each these elements and gives way to something that is new and uniquely theirs. Although the band could be, and has been categorized by critics and compulsives as an “electro-punk” act, this title sits uncomfortably on the band like a shoe that’s a couple of sizes too small. While their synth-driven rock fulfills the all the requirements for creating clever, dance-worthy tunes, singer Peter Quirk’s clever lyrics and spastic vocal deliveries steer the band away from the many of the worn clichés that trap many of the other bands who share some similarities but lack Hint Hint’s relentless spirit.

Young Days, released in May by northwest label Suicide Squeeze is the band’s first full-length record. The EP that preceded the record, Sex Is Everything, galvanized the northwest scene around the group, drawing enthusiastic crowds to their shows. Like fellow northwest bands Pretty Girls Make Graves and Blood Brothers, Hint Hint is a group that is best witnessed up close, where one can experience vocalist Peter Quirk’s furious vocalizations and Jason Lajeunesse’s impressively athletic drumming at a close and unmediated distance. Much of the band’s appeal is due to their ability to conjure up this sheer punk noisiness at show after show, and thankfully, much of this is energy reproduced on Young Days due to the skillful production work of Zach Reinig who has also brought his expertise to such stellar bands as Black Heart Procession and Blonde Redhead. The record is also represents the debut of the band as a five piece, with the addition of Gabe Garter, whose seamless basslines add another layer to the band’s complex texture of sound.

Young Days opens up with a group of songs that continue what was begun by the band on the Sex is Everything EP. The buoyant thump of an echoing tom beat provides a firm anchor for the jangling guitar riffs that mark the first song, “Natural Collegiate”. Tense and raw, the song is a wise choice as an opener because its noisy strains lie in the space between crisis and resolution, giving listeners a large dose of the sense of urgency that tie the songs together on the record.

“Senator Blues”, is equally strong and vibrant. Led by keyboardist Leona Marrs’s eerie piano, the song takes the shape of an anxious call and response, with Quirk spitting out his lyrics over a melody that builds steadily into an exhaustive climax which recedes and transitions smoothly and sublimely into “Same Skies”. This opens up with Lajeunesse and Marrs combining forces to create a fuzzy electronic dance beat that is quickly laid to waste by Dean Hudson’s guitar ringing out with the shrill immediacy of a fire alarm. Sadly, “Long Branch, New Jersey” comes up short when compared with the dynamic songs that precede it, languishing for a little too long in a shapeless atmospheric lull before giving way to the band’s characteristic noisy that unfortunately is too little and too late.

The record’s title track, “Young Days”, does much to reveal another side of the Hint Hint that was not represented in their previous recording. A drowsy, keyboard driven ballad in the style of Psychedelic Furs or My Bloody Valentine, “Young Days” showcases the band’s ability to shed their ironic punk armor and delve into rockier emotional territory. Quirk manages this transition gracefully, adding weight to the song with his richly plaintive lyrics: “No failured hanging god lights / No bleach white maidens / Saying you’re wrong.” “Hawks” follows in much the same style, reiterating the dark themes laid out by Quirk in the track before over equally beautiful instrumentation. “Leviathan” is a skillfully arranged gem, carrying an impressively thick, almost orchestral sound. But even more satisfying is “A Curse on You Dear”, a fervent meditation that is both a disavowal and an affirmation of love and desire.

Overall, Young Days is a solid and exciting debut from the Seattle-based quintet. It builds on the initial energy that has made their live shows so unforgettable and introduces fans to a newfound versatility that makes this band all the more interesting. This willingness to explore new styles and sounds makes Hint Hint a band that abounds with promise. One can only hope that the group will keep pulling musical tricks out of their collective hat that will make following records equally absorbing.