Review
Hella
Bitches Ain't Shit But Good People

Hella is less a band that be thought of in terms of "good" and "bad" as they are a band that you either like, or you don't. Their sound is either captivating and enthralling to you, or you think it's just a load of disjointed, self-indulgant noise by two guys who're showcasing their chops. In reality, the truth is actually that even to those of us who think they're captivating and enthralling, we can only do so by admitting to ourselves that yes, the band is just an exercise in self-indulgance, but an impressive and occasionally fantastic one. While this record doesn't have any downright incredible moments, it has its fair share of interesting and entertaining ones that should tie over the average Hella fan till their next record drops in January of next year. Starting out with a minute and a half long blast of noise titled "Ho's in the House," the record kicks into its title track, which is really what the whole thing's about anyway, where Spencer Seim seems to throw out every weird sound he can possibly create out of his keys over Zach Hill's still incredible drumming. While listening to him on record is nowhere near the experience of seeing him live, it's clear to all parties that the man is simply a machine behind his kit. The one real possible misstep would be "D Elkan Sings Republic of R+B," which features vocals added to an old song off their LP, but, while it could be overly crowded due to it, doesn't suffer too much because the vocals are sparse and low-key enough to not distract from the impressive musicianship. Sadly, this EP doesn't showcase Seim's considerably guitar chops, which I found to be the saving grace of Hold Your Horse Is, which is the only area in which it falls flat. Still, over the course of four tracks, the scope is limited enough that the constant percussive barrage doesn't become bothersome without a full support to it, and, like Hold Your Horse Is, after a few spins, you start to understand what the band is really getting at with the record. As far as experimental EPs go, this is essentially a success, but I get the feeling I'll be reaching for the LP more often than not. I suppose only time will tell.