The Hipshakes seem to be having a second creative apex at the moment as evidenced by their latest 7″ single, set to be released by Falmouth, UK imprint Nerve Centre Records. There’s been a flurry of Hipshakes releases lately, matched only by the volume of output during their first apex in the mid-aughts. This is possibly due to the fact that while Hipshakes have always been reliably consistent, most of the Hipshakes boys are in increasingly good side projects and it’s breathed a renewed vigor into their sound.
The Hipshakes are primed to road-test their sound in America for the first time in some years this Fall, including a stop at Goner Fest in October. If you’re familiar with the band, but haven’t checked them out in awhile, this would be good time to give another listen. The Hipshakes still traffic in their trademark spastic speed pop, but it’s increasingly tempered with smart, confident, and tough sounding punk rock. If you’re just tuning in, this is as good a place as any to start. The Hipshakes are all grown up and sounding more vital than ever.
Check out the 50thirdand3rd premiere of The Hipshakes new single Shot/Samba out September 29th on Nerve Centre.
HIPSHAKES BIO FROM NERVE CENTRE RECORDS:
The Hipshakes from Bakewell (now based in Manchester), are a British garage punk institution From the crazed teenage yowlings of their Debut ‘Shake Their Hips’ (Slovenly), to the exuberant punk pop of ‘Snake’ (Art For Blind), really good Hipshakes records have been the norm for a long time. We at Nerve Centre are over the bloody moon to be putting out a 7” by these guys; especially one of this quality.
First track ‘Shot’ has the immediacy of Wire in late seventies euphoric mode, combined with that thing which makes a Hipshakes track instantly recognisable. ‘Samba’ is a power-punk stormer, all climbing guitars and last-gasp singing. On first listen it made me want to pull over my car and stand on the roof while shaking my arms around. Both tracks were recorded in Nerve Centre’s hometown of Falmouth, Cornwall, by local legends Ben Woods and Sam Stacpoole (Black Tambourines, Holiday Ghosts), and were mastered by Mikey Young of Total Control and Eddy Current Suppression Ring.
With a tour of America and a slot at Goner Fest coming in October, one thing’s for sure: The Hipshakes will continue to bang out bona fide hits for a long time to come. We are just glad to hold two captive on Nerve Centre for the second instalment of our 7” series.
FFO: Wire, Angry Angles, The Saints