HIP TO DEATH

Hip to Death’s first proper CD, Punk Will Never Die But You Will (random Mogwai reference intended), buries spooky punk inclinations under layers of loops and vertiginous currents of noise. Had this album been recorded in Los Angeles circa 1979 it would be revered by the Killed By Death contingency as a creepy cousin to the Bags, the Weirdos, or Chicago proto-punk savants Mentally Ill, albeit it less spastic. But it wasn’t, so it's bound to fly under the radar as the group’s dark and defiantly outsider leer doesn’t have many close neighbors in 2011 Atlanta. But at the trio’s blackened heart of hearts, it appears to be OK with that, and even thrives on it as pure, unadulterated contempt drives songs like “Black Mirror” and “Washed Out.” Unsettling samples of disembodied voices that constrict around the clap of thunder, fuzz and gloomy pop structures are splattered all over the CD.

If you’re familiar with Hip to Death’s previous demo, Live in a Dive at the 529 Club, singer/guitarist John Breedlove’s hostile snarl doesn’t come off so much like he’s throwing rocks with his words anymore in “Skate Morals.” The tantrums have been tempered, and when weighed against wife/bassist Kasey Breedlove’s slow, gothic swoon in “White Sands,” the aural extremities are laid bare. The album’s strengths lie in the harsh and spiraling collage of noises that serves as both the backbone and connective tissue. Its major flaw is its inability to break free from the form that’s established within the first 30 seconds after pressing play. But there are compelling hooks hiding in the din, waiting to be realized. The album is bleak, jagged, and honest to the point of surpassing comfort levels. As such, PWNDBYW is not an album that’s easy to meet halfway, but if you’re really feeling sinister, Hip to Death has your number. - Chad Radford

Here's an Atlanta band that's been kicking around the proverbial "scene" for a few years now, but they don't seem to get the same attention that some of their peers have received. And maybe that's because they defy easy categorization, or because they don't seem especially eager to put out records with any sort of regularity, or...I don't know.
It's a two piece, husband and wife duo, who have culled together influences from all around the post hardcore, post punk, and post rock universe to lay down a wash of tuneful noisy bliss.
Some of these songs could have come from Sonic Youth's earliest records. Some of them could have been featured on the 1981 'Hell Comes To Your House' compilation. And some of them would be perfect for a set at next year's Austin Psych Fest. See what I'm saying? They can come at it with a frenetic pulsing energy, or they can lay back and let the sounds just crackle about, creating their own patterns and rhythms.
I slept on this band for a long time...like a lot of folks it would seem, but no more. This is a killer record worms its way around your ears and with a darkness and sophistication that doesn't come around that often. Don't be like me, pay attention to this one. - Shiny Grey Monotone

Some music is meant to petrify, to freeze you in your tracks, and Hip to Death’s menacing whirl of noise can be some late-night, demon-summoning shit. At times the group’s new standalone single, “Stay Faded,” seems like nothing more than swaths of feedback and textured noise beaten and dragged over a barbed wire bass line and blown-out vocals, a harbinger of death soundtrack to an amphetamine-fueled nightmare. But, much like the video, there are small pulses, tiny patterns that repeat and give you something to tangible to hold onto as the world melts and explodes with violence and decay. Still, the sense of foreboding mounts quickly and it isn’t long before it becomes a question of how much tension and turmoil you want to stomach. Those with the patience and fortitude to stick it out, however, will find the experience well worth the dread and unease. Watch/listen below. - Moe Castro of Latest Disgrace

With the release of their new EP arriving just in time for Halloween, Hip to Death have unveiled the record’s first single, the band’s first since last year’s stand-alone offering “Stay Faded.” The trio, lead by wife and husband duo Kasey and John Breedlove, have been working hard on their sophomore LP, TMI America , the follow-up to their 2011 debut Punk Will Never Die But You Will, but wanted something to help build momentum heading into 2016. The band recorded the stopgap EP at their Roswell residence, using only a 4-track Tascam cassette tape player. Digital conversion and mixing was done by Collin Derrick.

The initial thrash of noise and dissonance immediately bring a sense of urgency and tension to “Death Valley USA.” Guitarist John Breedlove infects the listener with an onslaught of abrasive leads and bends. It’s a piercing and overdriven mash of sounds that feels coiled and apprehensive like it’s coming from a man on the brink of losing it all. The lyrics, while sparse, are drowned win angst and lethargic self-loathing.

The balance within the song derives from the consistent yet hard driving basslines backed by pop-infused and straightforward percussion. All in all it’s a welcome return as once again Hip to Death have taken the raw energy and sentiments of frustration and disappointment and melded it into a whirlwind of dance and noise. Listen below. - Immersive Atlanta

After Duende came the next band, another group with which I wasn't familiar: Hip to Death. At the time, I thought they must have been a touring band; however later research confirms that this three piece is another Atlanta band. When they began to play, I can truthfully tell you that I really liked them. The group played a hard, post-punk type of sound that consisted of a fast-paced beats with effected guitar and rhythmic basslines. Over it all, the tall male lead guitarist sang in a hoarse voice that reminded me more than a little of Eric Bachmann in his earliest Archers of Loaf days.


The fact that he was very tall just contributed to the Bachmann comparison.

Likewise, the melodies had that early North Carolina-esque Indie post-punk feel, so that the music was very bouncy and almost jangly at times. In other words, I was really impressed with Hip to Death and would like to catch them again soon. - Evil Sponge

I knew as soon as I pulled up in front of The Cottage I knew the party was going to get shut down by The Man. I’d never heard of the venue until it popped up in the facebook feed of one of my favorite acts, Hotchacha from Ohio. I turned off Moreland onto Skyhaven Road and found the place a block down – a cute stone house in the midst of the residential neighborhood, too far south to really be called “East Atlanta,” too far east to be Grant Park. I trekked up the drive and paid $5 to find a tiny basement “studio” where the bands would be playing. A few people hung out in the back yard, passing aroud a 12 pack of PBR and taking turns on a rope swing. I sent a text to degenerate CD, who was on the way, and told him it was a BYOB affair.

Hip to Death The first band, Hip to Death, crammed into the corner of the basement and cranked up. The room was no bigger than the average living room, with metal columns and a concrete support wall blocking off the view of the band from much of the room. (All total, I think about 5 people can get a good view of the show.) The low ceiling of exposed beams and crumbling plaster walls gave the whole place a punk rock and/or high school kegger kind of vibe. The “sound booth” was a tiny closet in the corner. According to their facebook profile, this is “East Atlanta’s most delicious Recording Studio and Venue.”

Hip to Death’s songs have sparse, simple lyrics, often screamed (when there were lyrics at all), backed by agressive guitar, bass and drums. I thought for a moment they could’ve used a second guitar or something to fatten the sound but then again it works just fine lean and mean. They opted for some bare florescent fixtures on the floor for their light show, backed by a distracting TV showing VHS copies of big wave surfing and scientific experiments on dogs. - Degenerate Press

Hip to Death has broken its silence, teasing a 2016 full-length with four new cuts of spacey, fuzzed out surf rock. The self-titled EP, available on cassette and CD via the band’s own Die Indy imprint, officially hits the streets tonight (Sat., Dec. 19) when the group plays the Drunken Unicorn. Per digital single “Death Valley USA,” married couple John (guitar) and Kacey (bass) Breedlove’s soundscapes sound more polished this time around, without neutering the duo’s raw DIY approach. - Booby Moore