July 24
Seattle Sound Review - Too Fake
"Too Fake" by Hockey
By Mark Baumgarten
Thursday, July 24th, 2008 @ 8:51 AM
The beginning of this track, with its glitchy belly, heavy high-hat abuse, squelching bass and soulful exhortations regarding alienation and posturing, immediately recalls the music of Brooklyn's LCD Soundsystem. That's not a bad thing. Winking party anthems that take a calculated digital bedrock and slather it with wet-hot vocal overtures is hard to pull off without losing one of those two draws in the mix. But Portland's Hockey does it with aplomb here, resulting in a track that demands movement and emotion in equal measure. The band's live show is filled with variations on modern blue-eyed soul that cover a much greater stylistic breadth than the band's Brooklyn brethren, but "Too Fake" is, understandably, the cornerstone. "Look out!" Ben wails, "'cause I'm just too fake for the world. Oh you know it's just a game to me." And later, "Watch out! I got too much soul for the world, I got too much soul for you." Which is it? Both.
Hockey plays tonight at the Comet Tavern. For more on Hockey, go here.
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June 12
Portland Mercury Interview
Once More With Feeling
Hockey
BY EZRA ACE CARAEFF
You wouldn't know it from their sports-centric name, but relatively new Portland band Hockey represents the shimmering cutting edge of the local all-ages dance party scene. The band, which not that long ago swelled from two members to four, recently released Mind Chaos, which utilizes the bare bones hipster funk of Jamie Lidelll alongside the hook-heavy pop charm of the Cars. The result is enough keyboard-induced friction to bring even the most tame basement show down in a wave of flames. The band collectively took a moment to talk about their rambling past, their Portland future, and what it's like to be un-Google-able.
MERCURY: What brought upon the move from Spokane to Portland? And prior to that, was there a reason to move the band from Los Angeles to Spokane?
HOCKEY: Spokane treated us well while we were there but it seemed like we exhausted what the city had to offer before we could even get settled. Anyone that's ever been there would probably agree that it isn't the best place for aspiring musicians and artists. However, aside from our run-ins with bike thieves and fundamentalist Christians, we really miss the place.
Before that, the band was a two-piece in Los Angeles. After playing a lot of shows, signing a development deal with Columbia, and recording with Jerry Harrison [keyboardist for Talking Heads], we decided that we weren't happy with the way things were going and wanted to go somewhere to regroup (literally, becoming a four-piece) and catch our breath.
MERCURY: Bands seldom relocate together, and rarely do they ever do it multiple times. Has it been difficult to establish roots in the Portland scene?
HOCKEY: For the first six months, we were recording an album, adding a guitarist, and trying to self-actualize as a band. As far as playing shows and getting local exposure, no, we haven't really begun to establish any kind of roots in Portland. I think having finished the album and coalescing as a band, we are going to start setting our sights on playing a lot more shows and getting our name out there. We've also met a lot of wonderful people in the scene that have offered to help us get on our feet.
MERCURY: Do you have a live show in particular that is a favorite of the band?
HOCKEY: Just last week we played a show with Japanther at an all-ages house venue called the Coop in North Portland. The show was incredible and it was just an overall beautiful experience. Kids have a way of living in the moment and not giving a fuck.
MERCURY: Is it hard to have a band name that is un-Google-able?
HOCKEY: One of the many things that the internet has done to music is demystify musicians and artists. It used to be that if you were curious about a band you would have to go see them for yourself. We would like to maintain a sliver of that mystique.
Hockey perform at Slabtown on Friday, June 13.
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lucia
(i want your cd cause song away is beautiful and i
wanna put it on a mix for my boy before we go to
college and never see each other again)
posted Aug 21
lucia
(i want your cd cause song away is beautiful and i
wanna put it on a mix for my boy before we go to
college and never see each other again)
posted Aug 21
lucia
(i want your cd cause song away is beautiful and i
wanna put it on a mix for my boy before we go to
college and never see each other again)
posted Aug 21
lucia
you guys are sooo good. i don't have an online credit
card though! if i.. send you a check will you send me a
cd?
posted Aug 21
Kelly
I'm your biggest fan. I also happen to be a moose-pig
hybrid. I'm still wearing my happy expression, but
it's masking the pain. I thought my destiny was the
dashboard of a Ford van. Come back and play San
Diego again!
posted Aug 12
Kelly
I'm your biggest fan. I also happen to be a moose-pig
hybrid. I am still wearing my happy expression, but
it's masking the pain. I was sure my destiny was the
dashboard of a Ford van. Come play San Diego
again!!
posted Aug 11
ashley
You guys have a great sound. its a lot different from
what you normally hear which is sooo amazing:) and yay,
Redlands( I went to RHS)
posted Aug 05
TimmyMoney
Good stuff dudes- I can dig it. If you can make it out
to the east coast I'll be there.
posted Aug 04