With an in-depth understanding of Silent Majority, Turning Point and Quicksand, Hostage Calm's 2008 debut, Lens, was a comprehensive lesson on how punk / hardcore should sound. Riding that creative momentum, the quintet took a year to write and a year to record its Self-Titled follow up ... and it's safe to say that the band's knack for composing intelligent tunes is matched only by the its musical ambition. While hints of those Dag Nasty arpeggios and the skipping Descendents-esque beats remain, they’re cradled by the lush layers of jangling acoustic guitars, quick tambourine hits and resonating piano accompaniments. Think The Smiths' The Queen is Dead, with its blending of styles into one cohesive, all encompassing indie / pop album. Hostage Calm never compromises its energy, but touches lightly on everything from doo wop and new wave to Latin and power pop. Truly a singular effort, there's a bit of something for every notch in the music-fan spectrum. Still, Hostage Calm never completely strays from the scene responsible for its inception.
Engineered and co-produced by Greg Thomas at Silver Bullet Studios (Ambitions, Shai Hulud, Life In Your Way) Hostage Calm's highly anticipated sophomore effort - pressed on both 12" LP and CD formats - is currently available for pre-order from Run For Cover. You can secure your copy from the up-and-coming Boston label here or snag one from the band at shows.
And if you're the cautious, "try before you buy" type, Punknews.org has just launched an exclusive stream of the entire record here.
