Courtesy of The Hat Madder myspace
The Hat Madder is definitely a tongue twister. The real twist however, is how their new album “Rogue Notes & Phones” is a mix of rock and trendy pop.
The rocking vocals were most likely inspired by Steven Tyler yet sound more like the Offspring. At first glance this wouldn’t seem like a compatible combination, but it actually works out very nicely with their original rock-rooted feel and hints of trendy pop rock. The album is reminiscent of 90s alternative—harsh at times but with melodic undertones.
For a band with a picture of an Asian chicken on the cover of their album, their songs are very localized in meaning. There’s no confusing what this band wants to say. Songs like “There is No Us” and “Let the Good Times Last” give that warm, fuzzy 90s alt rock buzz with straightforward lyrics that seem to fit your life even when they really have no connection.
Despite having a similar sound to numerous bands, the content and strength of the overall album makes space for itself next to old favorites.
While I was listening, it seemed like clips of songs from my teenage years were infused into the album. New, old, reminders are great once in a while and this band definitely fills that void. But can The Hat Madder rank itself among some of the newer tech-infused alt and indie rock? We shall see.
8 Golden Eggs
