You’re probably here because you recently heard the kickass track “Somebody’s Gonna Get It” and found yourself asking, “who the hell is SELVES?” Well, they are he… and he is Geron Hoy. But seriously where did that groove come from? Here are some impressions on Hoy’s two albums under the moniker of SELVES. Dig in.
The album Caligo starts off with the hit “Somebody’s Gonna Get It” a veritable mashup of about half a dozen great rock songs with influences back to the 60s with more recent bands like Cage the Elephant. It’s a killer groove and easily one of those songs you want on steady rotation for a playlist covering anything from working out to just chillin’.
“This Could Be Real” shows a bit of a softer side, but still moves along. It’ll get you doing that chill back and forth move while you are trying to work (oh, just me?). But seriously, the layers of rock vox over guitars, keys, and the beat… really works. Sometimes production like this can distract from the meaning of the song, but here it really aids. The surrealist approach gets you contemplating what “could have been” or in the case of the narrative here… what still might be.
To make sure we get through all of these, let’s put a few impressions together. “All Because of You” is contemplative and much more emotional. The lyrics supercede some of the atmospheric musical elements here. The following rhythmic “Back to Brooklyn” seems destined for some pretty raucous Brooklyn house parties. Conjuring mental images of DiCaprio’s Gatsby parties more than modern life, it’s really a great party sound. If you can listen to this without clapping along, can we even be friends?
The second album, Aura, has some of the same kind of big gang vocal power to it, especially on the opening “Hello.” It’ll floor you if you’re not ready for it. It’s a commercial pop sound that’s ready made for media, but at the same time if you listen to the lyric he has something to say, too. Hoy’s style brilliantly meshes pop production with thoughtful, more artful questions typically found on the more esoteric indie releases.
“Say My Name” has a funk groove and a little more of a “funky” vibe to it. That said, it fits here. The lyrics are more clever and less contemplative, but I think it’s a perfect mood shift for the album. You might think “this sounds like the 70s” but make no mistake it’s a fresh take on that classic era.
“Burning for You” has a bit more of the hand claps and big sound. Hoy makes his case for being THE party album. “Ready to Go” moves along pretty nicely, with another dream-heavy rock track. The phrasing lays out a serious piece, but the anthemic style is all dance party. The thoughtful “Carry You” is a sweet way to end the album, showing Hoy’s softer side. It’s nice to hear that he can develop dynamics in his songwriting style both in terms of music and lyrics.
SELVES as a project has a pretty consistent party rock style, but there are these moments on both albums that show some versatility. And don’t let me say that like there’s anything wrong with party rock. I cannot wait to rock out at one of these shows. I mean first because Hoy seems like a really rad dude, but also anyone else who likes this music would have to be a lot of fun. See you at the show? Cool. If you don’t come… somebody’s gonna get it. 🙂
