The Hiss

the last time I read it, there were strong undercurrents in the NME, as if the hipster-vultures were circling over The Hiss....

they're signed to Loog, the label run by ex-NME dep Ed and contributor James Oldham. Go figger...

why I like it:

- strong riffage, lots of great hooks, the production value is spot-on
- there's a fair amount of styles at play
- when I've seen them live (once, here in the hometown) they were excellent
- lyrically they are as good as 99% of anyone else out there.

It's a fun record.

However, strokesy rawk hype + nme hype + southern band hype = low expectations

put it this way... if 2003 is 1994 then The Hiss are some begoateed losers who useta play hair-metal, third on the bill to Stone Temple Pilots on some godforsaken world tour, and a month or so from their last phonecall from their A&R guy... cripplingly unremarkable. and not a good omen for Loog, which is releasing substandard albums from marginal artists (The Soledad Brothers, ffs!!??) while being attatched to the same corporate behemoth that assisinated the venerable and historic MCA labell not more than a coupla months ago. which is a shame since james, feverish ambition and dull-writing aside, was actually one of the more decent people at NME back in the day.

It's not their unoriginality I find a problem, it's their wholly substandard flaunting of their direct influences. And I thought the lyrics were rubbish. One man's meat is another's poison and that, but then if we just adhered to that we might as well shut this silly site down.

Fair enough, and I certainly don't wanna put yoou off those bands; at least, not because of who owns the label. I would suggest, however, a pinch of salt with the suggestion that The Hiss are enjoying blanket press praise in the UK when their press pack heaves 80-95% with NME reviews and features, while other mags have, for the most part, kept a respectful distance from these chancers. And ask yourself why NME is so willing to donate pages to this band.

Surely the presence of 'marginal artists' suggests that Loog might actually flourish into a label the back catalogue of which is based around love and integrity... but then I quite like The Soledad Brothers.

Agreed; it's the cynicism behind it, however - a label that seeks out not marginal artists but rather the next bands to fill the Strokes/Stripes/Hives niche - that rankles. But maybe I'm just still bitter that when I was raving about The White Stripes, my 1st review of that band had to sit on the spike while people like James raved about Starsailor et al.

I quite like(d) Soledad Brothers too; but the new album? Eh. It's bad. Very bad. And that's not even coloured by the dodgy behind-the-scenes behaviour that I couldn't really share on a public messageboard.

More power to your elbow, etc etc etc... Was referring to the gentleman's suggestion above that the band were on the receiving end of lots of UK press love, suggesting a burgeoning success inna Strokes and Stripes vibe. Which is not really the case, its a lot more cynical and contrived. That's the 'Inside Story', if there is one, but you're right. If The Hiss were, say, The Icarus Line - a band who give me the fucking cold shivers every time i play the blistering demos for their next album - then I too wouldn't care if George W Bush was backing their stab for fame, with Henry Kissinger working as their PR. But The Hiss are NOT The Icarus LIne, they're just another dull bunch of garage-aping bandwagon tossers who got signed because Major Labels are, for the most part, clueless and cynical when it comes to rock'n'roll and will sign whatever vaguely resembles what's successful right now.

Like, how does that affect me, in that, I'm supposed to not like the music because of what you suggest? I think that's a bit lame-o.

You're not 'supposed' to do ANYTHING; I'm under the impression that you're a free-thinkning individual, and whether you like a band or not has absolutely no bearing on my life whatsoever. In My Opinion, which is all I would ever state on ILM, The Hiss are a dull and bad band; The Soledads' new album is not a patch on their two SFTRI albums or their excellent Sweet Nothing live album. The back-story I find amusing as I used to write for NME, and now watch with a mixture of glee and something close to sickness as they tarnish any previous since of critical authority to slavishly and droolingly dash after whatever they've been informed might be the *next* *big* *thing*. I guess it's like watching a movie because it's so bad that it's funny. And seeing the mag go for The Hiss in such a big way with all the obvious ethical conflicts involved is just glorious...

I think you're a bit Doomie-o. Am I mistaken?

xxx

That's fair enough, and the politics *shouldn't* colour the music, or your love thereof... Was just setting the aforementioned press fervour in context, is all...

Any suggestions of skulduggery are secondary to this. I never minded Regular Fries getting press when they were a Fierce Panda band, for example, because they were entertaining fellas who made decent records.

Fierce Panda? Kerrang? Really? Have I missed something? Why would Kerrang be bigging up Fierce Panda? Is it all down to Hundred Reasons?

I'm not about to care about label politics or music industry politics. It's like discussing who is the President of Microsoft. There are machines and businesses that bring the music to me. It is at that point I decided - 'Hey, I really like this' or 'No, I don't really like this'. Beyond that it's all water cooler talk is it not?

I'm not about to care about label politics or music industry politics. It's like discussing who is the President of Microsoft. There are machines and businesses that bring the music to me. It is at that stage I decide - 'Hey, I really like this' or 'No, I don't really like this'. Beyond that it's all water cooler talk is it not?

My perspective is different because The Hiss are from my hometown, where they have enjoyed very good press as without the benefit of anything related to NME. And if the NME or any other press anywhere helps them get a record deal in the US, good for them. That's the way it's done, kids.

Stevie, it does appear that your animus is much more directed to the environment around the Hiss as opposed to the context of the music. Calling the Hiss derivative is fair, but labeling it "cynical" is a pretty big stretch.

Yes Doomie; the difference being that everytime we write about a band affiliated to our magazine (which is often, since many of our contributors are writers themselves) we come out and say it, so you can decide whether or not we are being swayed by payola or not.

My perspective is different because The Hiss are from my hometown, where they have enjoyed very good press as without the benefit of anything related to NME. And if the NME or any other press anywhere helps them get a record deal in the US, good for them. That's the way it's done, kids.

well, that's exactly why i stated that the situation at NME isn't nearly so clear-cut; you brought up the NME connection and the press interest; i merely felt it would be a good idea to have all the info on the table.

Stevie, it does appear that your animus is much more directed to the environment around the Hiss as opposed to the context of the music. Calling the Hiss derivative is fair, but labeling it "cynical" is a pretty big stretch.

Actually, Don, i think that's a fair point; I guess I transpose much of the cynicism of the industry upon The Hiss, who are, ultimately, just another band thrown up in the industry cluster-fuck that's following this whole garage-rock explosion. But, in all honesty, I listened to The Hiss's album with an open-mind, not least to prove to myself that I wasn't wholly disposed against this band, despite the press they'd received so far. I would've LOVED to love the Hiss, but I just didn't... but if you love 'em, that's cool; there's plenty of bands I love that other people hate, not least Pearl Jam, and it doesn't ruin anyone's life much.

Part Chimp play at the launch of Careless Talk Costs Lives affiliated record label Loose Lips Sink Ships. Todd also play - their debut EP is out now on the label. Part Chimp¹s debut album ŒChart Pimp¹ is out now on Rock Action. Earplugs recommended.

Huh. That was not mention in yer article about Todd, now was it, Stevie?

Part Chimp play at the launch of Careless Talk Costs Lives affiliated record label Loose Lips Sink Ships. Todd also play - their debut EP is out now on the label. Part Chimp¹s debut album ŒChart Pimp¹ is out now on Rock Action. Earplugs recommended.

Huh. That was not mention in yer article about Todd, now was it, Stevie?

Um, Doomie, that was 'mention' in my Todd article. Go on. Go back and read your 'girlfriend''s copy of CTCL; check the second paragraph of page 20. Read it aloud, so your slow and simple brain can understand the words... they go something like this:

"This is tense. Todd are about to release their debut EP (on Loose Lips Sink Ships, a label with a confirmed afiliation to this magazine)"

I mean, there it is in black & white. I really can't say fairer than that; in the first draft of the feature, i even went on to argue for wwhy we could, without disturbing our consciences, plug bands afiliated with our magazine, but since the Future Ex-Wife feature made the same argument, we dropped it in favour of the above, more economical explanation.

Perhaps you should stop playing so dumb?

I did stop playing when I quit Careless Talk.

No worries Doomie! Hope the weather's nice in your little world!

Good point, Don.

Hey Don, there's absolutely no shame in that... Wish I heard in The Hiss what you obviously hear and love... rock on...

Stevie, by the way, it was meant as 'was it' in yer article, i dunno' pitch. But it was nice to see you go off on one anyways. Ta.

anything to bring some light into your dark and dreary days, Doomie!

Lovely! Well, it all seems clear as very very clean glass now, so thanks for that Doomie!