We weren’t sure we’d get another Hookworms record. The Leeds, England band wowed with their first two albums of roaring motorik drone rock, not to mention a transcendent, ferociously loud live show, but the band suffered some major setbacks in 2015. Their North American tour was cancelled due to visa issues at the 11th hour (a tough blow even for bands whose members don’t all have serious day jobs), and bandleader MJ’s riverside Suburban Home studio was destroyed in a flood. Following a crowdfunded rebuild of the studio, Hookworms set to work on their new album. Despite the title, it’s more than a microshift, sonically, from what came before.
If first single “Negative Space” is any indication, the new album is more than a Microshift, sporting a decidedly more pop direction, embracing dance music and MJ taking the occasional break from wailing to reveal an appealing singing voice. The record reflects the tough three years that preceded and the light at the other end. “All of our records are to an extent about mental health,” says MJ, “Largely this is an album about loss but also about maturing, accepting your flaws and the transience of intimacy.”
The Fat Angel Sings 