Hetch Hetchy: Classic Or Dud?

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Classic! There, that was easy. Search their album, Swollen, and the ep with "Retarded Camel" on it. Okay, you can lock this thread.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 24 September 2004 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Remaindered copies of the LP available on musicweb.com for $6.99.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 25 September 2004 03:51 (twenty-one years ago)

tell me more.

― brock (brock), Saturday, 25 September 2004 16:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I have not heard the records and would like to know more, too. Here's the Trouser Press entry on 'em:

"Although her name is Lynda L. Limner, the Hetch Hetchy singer with a sometimes harsh loud-soft-loud style is the selfsame Stipe sister. (Michael produced the trio's six-song debut.) From the lightly laughing clarinet that opens "Retarded Camel" through chunks of darkly deep guitar and lots of smooth new music electronic keyboards, the melodic group — named after a valley in Yosemite National Park — creates the kind of lightly arty pop-rock that college radio eats for breakfast, lunch and dessert.

With production by Hugo Largo's Tim Sommer, Hetch Hetchy — now a duo of Limner (vocals, bass, guitar and keyboards) and Jay Totty (bass and guitar), assisted by local singers and players — moves into tastefully restrained atmospheric vagueness on Swollen. Some of the songs use drums and a few ("Satanette," "Retsina," "Mother's Drum") actually have decisive melodies but, for the most part, this is sub-Largo background music in need of a spine."

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 25 September 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Swollen is artier and weirder and whispier. the 6-song debut is cooler. like oh ok gone postpunk. the bass is in yer face especially on retarded camel. great recording! wish i could say the same about hugo largo's debut. they had exactly one good song if i recall. hetch hetchy were on their own wavelength. or linda was anyway. still my fave stipe.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 25 September 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

two years pass...

so sad that i'm the only hetch hetchy fan on ilm. so cold...feel...so...all...alone. post-punk southern gothic at its finest, folks!!!!

― scott seward, Monday, 7 May 2007 01:21 (eighteen years ago)

You've got me very curious, Scott. I can't seem to find any samples on-line but I did find stuff from Oh-OK. How does Hetch Hetchy compare?

― Mr. Odd, Monday, 7 May 2007 01:50 (eighteen years ago)

Hmm. I ought to check both this AND Oh-Ok out.

― Bimble, Monday, 7 May 2007 01:58 (eighteen years ago)

hetch hetchy is not like oh-ok at all. i had the album once - i don't remember, more cocteau twins-y or something?

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 7 May 2007 02:02 (eighteen years ago)

more ethereal than OH OK and more experimental. Less naive. But still with thick bass-lines and a sorta post-punk solidity. it's not music that is gonna float away into space. there is gravity. the vocals hold stuff down. OH OK were a GREAT band. Hetch Hetchy were maybe not great, but very fine and they had some fine ideas.

― scott seward, Monday, 7 May 2007 02:24 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

I like both Hetch Hetchy recs. Haven't played one in years, but STILL wear their t-shirt on occasion. Loved them when I saw them live way back when; lots of instrument switching between members, and yeah, fine experimental ideas aplenty.

Also LOVE my OH OK vinyl collection (1 7" and 1 12" EP) and keep meaning to spring for the CD comp that adds a bunch of live stuff. Saw them back in the day on an awesome double bill with Clay Allison (Kendra Smith & Keith Roback.)

― Such A Hilbily (Dan Peterson), Monday, 15 June 2009 14:12 (sixteen years ago)

two years pass...

No specific Oh OK thread, so I'll link this video I found today here. Love love love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzsSAPOcHik

― On the sidelines in a trash can grumping (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 15 March 2012 16:54 (thirteen years ago)

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