Hello yourself
The Capes
Hello
(Hard Soul)
Periodically British bands inadvertently circle wagons and form an Empire Shell in order to protect the local industry from Americanizing.
In the mid ’90s, Britpop deflected much of grunge rock and years later, well, nu metal never posed a serious threat. But the rise of Franz Ferdinand, Libertines, and now Arctic Monkeys signals a new uprising, one which The Capes are ready to carry the flag for should one of them fall. Granted, tracks like “First Base” could have been written by anyone with a retro synth, and the teenagers who grew up on Blur are now in their mid 20s, providing much of what Hello has to offer. What do The Capes do? Well, they’re more like the chair fillers at the Academy Awards when a guest has to use the bathroom: useful should you need one, but if you hold it off, you’ll be fine.
— Steve Forstneger
