Rob’s Album of The Week: Hockey Dad’s Rebuild Repeat
Ever since I heard their sophomore full-length album Blend Inn that came out in 2018, I’ve been a huge fan of the Australian indie rock act Hockey Dad. The duo of vocalist & guitarist Zach Stephenson and drummer Billy Flemming from the coastal town of Windang have an energetic approach to songwriting while exhibiting a tight syncopation. This is evident through Stephenson’s melodic way of practicing his craft and Flemming’s rhythmic talents from behind the kit. They have a fluid style that incorporates elements of punk, pop and garage rock, which is the case with their fourth full-length album Rebuild Repeat that came out on June 14 via the record label Farmer & The Owl. The release has a more of a polished vibe than their previous output while maintaining a substantial edge.
I have a feeling that this is partly due to the trio of Alex Burnett, Oli Horton and Tim McArtney handling the production, engineering and mixing along with Burnett and Horton assisting with the songwriting. The record was made at four different recording studios with Hercules Street Studios, The Gallery BMG & Long Life Studios in Sydney and Stranded Recording Studios in Wollongong each having a distinct role. Despite this process being conducted in unconventional fashion, it did make the songs sound really good. It’s just a bit different this time around due to the arrangements and structures. There’s definitely more a surf rock aesthetic that’s present at various instances, which is a pleasant progression in an overall sense.
As a person who wears their heart on their sleeve, there are positives and negatives to this train of thought. The positives are that communication about certain things can be relatively easy while knowing how to handle various emotions. The negatives are that sometimes there are things that eat away at your thoughts while giving off a sense of dissatisfaction when in fact things are actually pretty good. I got to get a better grasp on the latter, but I just got to take it one day at a time. To get a grasp on my Album of The Week, here are my top tracks:
“Base Camp”, which starts the album off, has excellent hooks and a harmonious chorus. It’s another example of how a song can be catchy but not in an annoying way. I love the dynamic between the beats and riffs in “Wreck & Ruin” and the emphasis that’s forged from it. The acoustic foundation within “That’s On You” makes it stand out from the rest. I enjoy the messaging being conveyed through the lyrics as well, which makes for a great song.
In support of Rebuild Repeat, Hockey Dad is going to be embarking on a tour of Australia and Europe starting at The Rechabite in Northbridge, Western Australia on June 21. Other notable dates include June 29 at The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, July 5 at Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne, August 30 at Vicar Street in Dublin and September 9 at Metropol in Berlin. I really hope they head over to the United States sometime soon because I would enjoy seeing Hockey Dad in a live setting. In the meantime, grab a copy of the new album. It shows the evolution of a talented duo without having them stray away from what made them great in the first place.
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