Search - Exploding Hearts :: Guitar Romantic

Classic garage rock with a punk feel

Destroy Boy | www.ohboydestroy.com | 06/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Exploding Hearts were a bunch of young kids playing a musical style twice their age but you wouldn't know that from their flawless recreation of the sounds of the classic rock n' roll/garage movement of the late 60's. Despite their youth, there's a timeless feel to their modern take on this genre as they belt through a series of rock n' roll originals that surely would have been chart toppers in that era. Helping this out is the absolutely retro straight out of the amp, fuzzy around the edges guitars and a strict adherence to blues based rock songwriting but with a superb flair for writing memorable songs that stick out from the considerable amount of bands playing this style past and present. They also incorporate some of the energy of the early British punk movement, keeping things moving at a brisk pace that keeps the interest level high from start to finish.



Beyond a couple almost ballads (they still rock!), most of the album is packed with upbeat numbers driven by raw, jangly guitars and almost non-stop lead guitar riffs. The lead work is especially good on this album, ranging from classic straight 50's greaser type solos to bold, anthemic solos that dominate tracks like "Modern Kicks" and "Rumors In Town". At times this comes across as a more poppy version of the New York Dolls but flush with the vibe and feel of a more straight rock version of The Undertones or The Vibrators. It has that same crazy punk energy but not the angry power chords, instead going with a more bubblegum rock style full of a ton of solos.



The vocals are fairly bubblegum as well with lots of back up vocals and tons of lyrics about girls but never come across as cheesy or forced. In fact they help to further cement their near perfect retro status as they sound straight off the teenybopper records of old, full of youthful energy for a brand new musical movement.



Sadly this first record is also the last as three fourths of the band died in a car accident coming back from a gig. Truly a tragedy as this was one of the best new bands I've heard in quite some time but at least they left this one gem of a record for us to remember them by.



Check out more review at ohboydestroy."

I really have never met anyone who didn't like them.

Robyn | Schenectady, New York United States | 04/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Every kid I've shown this band to either immediately fell in love with their incredible garagey power-pop sound or sheepishly added them to their 'favorites' list a few days later.



It's more than a shame that the band passed away in a van accident, but you've GOT to hear them if you haven't. They're absolutely incredible and their songs will stay embedded in your brain like superglue."

WOW...and then a tear.

Brandon General | 10/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a guy who has owned a copy of this record since its release in 2003, and played, and over-played the hell out of it, it has never once gotten boring, or old like some of the other formulaic music the radio or MTV tries to pass off as music. You can't however even compare this to the crap that gets airplay. It goes beyond the casual listen, it gets inside of you and makes you feel alive.

It has everything that makes a record great to me. Loud, brash vocals, loud brash guitars that have a melody, great hooks, and a lo-fi quality to the recording(it was recorded in a basement)though it sounds really really clear considering. It has charm, substance, and potential. These guys were only kids, and to think they could produce such hooky music is astounding.

Then the sad part.

This same music that makes you feel so alive inside was recorded only months before three fourths of this band would die in a car accident. Their one and only true studio album still stands above almost everything else in my collection and thats saying alot.

If you stumbled across this cd here, and are reading this review because a friend told you the story, or you read about them somewhere and were curious about the hype...its all it's hyped up to be. Don't hesitate and deprive yourself of this one magical moment in music history, just buy the damn record, sit back, smile, tap your feet, and try not to cry once you fall in love with the band and realize that there will never be another studio album.

RIP The Exploding Hearts"