If you like REM, you'll probably like Hype, who are a rockier/grungier REM.
I am surprised at the reviews that give Hype a low rating - I thought their music was pretty accessible to everyone.
It really hammers in the truth that tastes differ.
Some of the reviews complained about the cover. Hmph. Reading that kind of remark made me feel as if I'd done the browsing equivalent of accidently stepping in some dogshit. The cover hardly matters! It's the music that's important! Don't let yourself be brainwashed by image, especially if you're reviewing music!
Then, some of the reviews complained about the singer's voice. Pah! He's got a fine voice. Very REM Stipe-like in some ways. He hits all the right notes with confidence, he has the right feel injected in the song, and it just sounds good to my ears. He's no Elvis or Sinatra in timbre but his voice has its own character, dammit, and that's cool. Come on, think about it - Mick Jagger is a far worse singer, but that Wrinkly Old Pout-lipped Rolling Stone injects character in what he sings, so the music ends up rocking. (It helps of course that he's a smart businessman too, having paid a piddly amount of tax on squillions of dollars over the years, so he can concentrate on living the rock star lifestyle properly).
Hype's music had good hooks, the mix was good, and I bet they're dynamite live.
I downloaded their album (something I rarely do with Jamendo), but you guys in France, go on, check their home page, find out where their next concert is, go and see them, buy their album, do whatever you can to support them, 'cos they deserve it!
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appendix:
The track "My Innocence" has grown on me after a few listens. Beautiful song. A great showcase of what they are about. Wish I could figure out the lyrics. I am upping their rating a bit because so many of the songs are so good.
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