N.Y.C.'s
Hiccup formed after Hallie Bulleit (
the Unlovables) and Alex Clute met as members of the LLC, the punk-minded house band for the cable access-turned-Fusion comedy-variety show, The Chris Gethard Show. Finding chemistry as they churned out hooks for ephemeral bumper music for TV, they decided to flesh out some of their ideas into songs and actually record them. With Bulleit on bass and Clute on guitar, and both trading lead vocals, they added drummer Piyal Basu and headed to the studio with producer
Kyle Gilbride of
Swearin'. The result is Imaginary Enemies, a set of a fun, thoughtful kind of punk-pop that’s loaded with hooks, fast tempos, and sunny harmonies. If that's not encouragement enough, the album's 12 tracks include only one that reaches the three-minute mark in length (and just barely). Much like the show, the power trio carries an approachable, all-inclusive spirit, with both singers sporting a conversational vocal delivery that invites sympathy while airing grievances. It's not sugary sweet, either; there's a grungy edge to their sound, and a song like the blistering, 50-second "I Don't Care About You" doesn't come with an ironic twist ("You always think I do/But I/Never tried"). Speaking of traits that may remind some listeners of
Morrissey, "Slams" lays
Moz-type vocals by Clute over churning guitars in a fashion reminiscent of
Smoking Popes. Among a set of otherwise full-on jammers, they offer brief respite halfway through the track list with "Enemies of Friends," a tender acoustic guitar tune with harmonized vocals and more elegant chord progressions. A record that seems to hang out and keep company, then leave before needing to be asked, Imaginary Enemies is, on the whole, a good time that deserves to work its way into summer playlists. By ending on the infectious blast of "Neverwhere," a song that begs to close encores, it'll likely leave many wanting more. ~ Marcy Donelson