Hilltop Hoods-state of the art
September 26th 2009 01:09
You know I’m more of a punk/rock guy. And if you asked me what I thought of Australian Hip Hop five years ago I would’ve said it was shit. But, as is the case as you get older and wiser (that last part can be debatable) your tastes expand and broaden. Mind you, it was hard for anyone in this country to not like the Hilltop Hoods breakthrough track ‘Nosebleed Section’. The song was the highest placed Aussie act on Triple J’s Hottest 100 of all time. Since that time, the HIlltop Hoods have redefined a genre in this country and as help build Aussie HIp Hop to something that surpasses anything that you hear coming out of the States or see on crappy music video shows.
State Of The Art still infuses that typical Hilltop sound. Crafty rhymes, mixed with great beats and samples and with tongue planted firmly in cheek. However, with this, their sixth album, the guys have matured in lyrical content. Tracks like ‘Last Confession’ are social commentary and ‘Parade The Dead’ has a serious political tone to it. Yet they can still create some good party tracks like ‘Chris Farley’ and if the sample in ‘Hillatoppa’ doesn’t get stuck in your head, nothing will.
The first single ‘Chase That Feeling’ is a typical HIlltop Hoods track and demonstrates the sound that they’ve created that is replicated throughout the scene and has become a favorite for television commercials for the footy finals. For mine, the standout track is ‘The Light That You Burn’. It has a real sing along chorus and reminds me alot of ‘The Nosebleed Section’ and I expect it to be huge on a live setting.
Some may say that Hilltop Hoods are too big and successful and borders on commercial/sell out tags which is unfair. The guys have been building their credibility for over a decade and should be respected and revered as pioneers of bringing Aussie Hip Hop to the front of the alternative musical conscience. Alot of other acts would not be touring and releasing albums without these guys. And there’s a reason for it. They just bloody good.
State Of The Art still infuses that typical Hilltop sound. Crafty rhymes, mixed with great beats and samples and with tongue planted firmly in cheek. However, with this, their sixth album, the guys have matured in lyrical content. Tracks like ‘Last Confession’ are social commentary and ‘Parade The Dead’ has a serious political tone to it. Yet they can still create some good party tracks like ‘Chris Farley’ and if the sample in ‘Hillatoppa’ doesn’t get stuck in your head, nothing will.
The first single ‘Chase That Feeling’ is a typical HIlltop Hoods track and demonstrates the sound that they’ve created that is replicated throughout the scene and has become a favorite for television commercials for the footy finals. For mine, the standout track is ‘The Light That You Burn’. It has a real sing along chorus and reminds me alot of ‘The Nosebleed Section’ and I expect it to be huge on a live setting.
Some may say that Hilltop Hoods are too big and successful and borders on commercial/sell out tags which is unfair. The guys have been building their credibility for over a decade and should be respected and revered as pioneers of bringing Aussie Hip Hop to the front of the alternative musical conscience. Alot of other acts would not be touring and releasing albums without these guys. And there’s a reason for it. They just bloody good.
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