Controlled yet chaotic rhythms and melodies condensed into powerful and inspiring blends of sound -- this is the magic that makes up the music of
Hurl. Hailing from Pittsburgh, the same hometown as that of the amazing instrumental band
Don Caballero,
Hurl could be thought of as taking the ingenuity and creativity of D.C. and adding more structure, thus making the music easier to listen to, and then adding calm, almost spoken vocals to the mix. The album is full of incredible ideas, breakdowns, movements, and other musical elements. The beautiful swirling transition from "This Numbness" to "Test the Waters," which then flows directly into "I Have Idled, I Am Idle, I Will Idle," helps create a sense of flow that continues through the rest of the album. An interesting cover of Nice Strong Arm's "Amnesia" jostles the mood of the rest of the album, moving thoughts into a provocative arena. The album's end comes with a building crescendo of discordance, which eventually resolves into a simple yet effective few moments of an acoustic guitar, thus leaving with an odd yet warmly comfortable feeling. Overall, this album is pure genius, and could be appreciated by just about anyone who likes slightly dark and unique music performed by artists with incredible talent. ~ Blake Butler