Back when disco was disco, the sound was usually cheesy, but undeniably catchy, and that still holds true today. Portland, Oregon’s over-hyped Hockey have that disco-cheese on their debut, Mind Chaos, but they’ve also got that catch. At its best, Chaos is one of those records you’ll find yourself liking in spite of how you feel about the band, heavily & annoyingly flogged as one of the ‘next MGMT’s (QRO live review).
The first half of Mind Chaos is decidedly the stronger side, as it contains singles "Too Fake", "Learn To Lose", and "Song Away". The band’s dance-rock is almost silly in its ‘up with life’ attitude, but one can’t help but find the backbeat and even the lyrics infectious. Unfortunately, that upside is lost on the back side of the record, as tracks like "Wanna Be Black" and "Preacher" are more forgettable.
Rather surprisingly, Hockey don’t only play in that corner of the sandbox on Chaos. Singer Benjamin Grubin attempts to be ‘tough’ on pseudo-raps "3am Spanish" and "Curse This City"; while "Curse" doesn’t work, "Spanish" actually kind of does, sort of akin to old school, early eighties rap. The band’s sad side on songs like "Work" and closer "Everyone’s the Same Age" don’t stand out – and why is there a country-road song on Chaos ("Four Holy Photos")?
There’s a lot to dislike about Hockey, and not just the hefty hype label Capitol has been pushing. Their attitude on Mind Chaos can really grate, as can the unprepared excursions. But you can’t say you won’t remember enjoying a few of the songs.
MP3 Stream: "Song Away"
