It Hugs Back came to my attention as the 'day job' of Matthew Simms, who has been guitarist with Wire for the last fourteen years. So, with the Wire connection, it seemed a no brainer to check out It Hugs Back when this appeared for a couple of quid recently.
Let's get past the elephant in the room, The band's name is awful. it's wet and cringeworthy, but thankfully, the music isn't. Opener Other Cars Go is a gentle song, propelled by a jangly guitar, with some atonal and fedback guitar overlain.
Little Steps is louder, more powerful, and satisfying. Early Evening is an acoustic song, pleasant and cheerful with some creative clapping, then Saving, a decent song, with a full sound and a loud ending.
Carefully brings the pace down a notch, starting slowly, then jumping in with a lively chorus, while Sometimes In The Sun is an engaging, if unremarkable guitar instrumental. The final pair are Lights In The Trees, a listenable single, more gentle vocals with strong guitar, and Soft Spot, a short song, again listenable without making much impact.
It's a decent little compilation of the band's first four singles, which are all pleasant and engaging but without any wow! factor.
Links to Other Cars Go, Early Evening, Carefully and Lights In the Trees.
3* - a pleasant little diversion from a young English band. Worth half an hour of your time.
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