Several Hundred People
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Music
Press
Louisville Music News
Louisville Indie Pop for the People
Come, all ye fans of early R.E.M. and the Athens sound, or of low-fi pop everywhere. Several Hundred People is calling your name.
This Louisville quintet has released a debut album that immediately makes one want to listen to Murmur again, or maybe to dig through that vinyl in the basement in search of that old Pylon record your mom may or may not have thrown out.
Don't get me wrong: I mean all this as a compliment, because that early-1980s underground pop was great stuff. The songs are lyrically off-beat, the music lives, and it becomes very easy to get drawn into this album.
"Happy Little Boy" is a relentlessly haunting song with a thumping bass line that somehow breaks through and leads the way, along with the accompaniment of drummer Brian DeSpain's relentless high-hat.
And Lee Troutman's lead vocals weave a frantic, almost disconcerting element of uneasiness throughout this album. There are moments when his vocal inflections much the way David Byrne did during the Talking Heads' early days. If the vocals were delivered straight, the songs would not thrive the way they do here.
The band also offers moments of wry humor, such as with "My Girl is Crazy." The lyric is delivered as an ironic love ballad. Troutman sings, "I'm under your spell / Does that mean I'll go to hell?"
The piano-driven, country-fried "The Old Witch" works similarly as a character story about an insane old woman. "The Years Gone By" takes us into the mind of a box of keepsakes, and what the contents say about the owner. Besides, how many bands can write a power-pop song about being eaten by a giant spider and make you want to dance ("Spider")? Or write as heartfelt a ballad as you'll ever hear about marijuana ("Weed")?
You get the picture: Get out and pick up this CD now. And don't let your mom toss it out with your Pylon records, either.
- Kevin Gibson (July 2010)
WFPK Radio Louisville
Louisville Public Radio
The first time I saw Several Hundred People I didn't know what to expect (I hadn't really listened to their debut self-titled release yet) but I was totally knocked out with their show. Who knew this band was that good? I was thoroughly entertained and impressed with the level of musicianship in the group. I went home and immediately cranked up their CD and was floored yet again. These guys know how to write a catchy rift! The song Hey starts the album off strong, but my favorite is Happy Little Boy. It just makes me, well, happy. The Years Gone By and Weed speak to me, too, but all the songs here are good. Truly one of my favorite releases of the year. Who knew?
- Marion Dries (September 2010)
LEO Weekly
Louisville Eccentric Observer
stripped-down complexity... beautifully meandering... weaves its way through a musical tapestry with precision.
- Brent Owen (June 2010)
- Louisville Music News / WFPK / LEO Weekly
Discography
Several Hundred People (self-titled) April, 2010 LP
Photos
Bio
Several Hundred People is a collection of five bodies, each with dozens of souls residing within, hailing from Louisville, Kentucky.
With influences ranging from Radiohead to Bob Dylan, Several Hundred People's sound is an exhilarating amalgam of familiarity and innovation twisted together like the stripes of a rock and roll candy cane.
With their debut, self-titled release, Several Hundred People have taken the first steps towards benevolent global domination.
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