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Album: Cartwheel
Artist: Hotline TNT
Genre: Rock, Alt, Indie
Sub-Genres: Shoegaze, Slacker Rock, Noise Rock, Power Pop
Label: Third Man Records
Non-Airable Tracks: None!
Description: One of the hardest working bands in music, Hotline TNT has returned for a second full length LP, their Third Man Records debut! This Minneapolis (or maybe NYC now?) based project of Will Anderson, formerly of the noise/shoegaze band Weed, became known for their rotating cast of band members, often swapping out guitarists, drummers, and bassists every couple of shows. (They originally crossed my radar because they gained a drummer after G.L.O.S.S, a very important band to me, called it quits). Will built a firm foundation for the band with three fantastic (seriously, if you check anything from them next, make it the tracks "Lawyers In Love", "Trinity", and "Are U Faded?" from the) E.P.'s released between 2018 and 2019. Following those E.P's with a full length album, "Nineteen In Love", the band began extensively touring, which is when I caught them opening for Snail Mail in a small central Illinois town. While I knew some of their work like "Had 2 Try" and "Stampede", I wasn't fully sold until I saw them open up that show, the concert that convinced me to wear earplugs for the rest of my life after I spent the next few days with sharp ringing in my ears. Just as I gained a short-term case of tinnitus, the band gained a fan for life. When the band announced earlier this year they had signed to Third Man Records, I was excited to see a indie project I had followed closely hit big with major label distribution, able to pump out more of their tunes to reach more people. The record that follows this announcement, a sort of make or break project for the future of the band as they intend to prove themselves in this major label world, is nothing short of a home run. From the moment the lead single "Protocol" released, I knew this record was gonna be a fuzzed out sensation full of power pop hooks coated in shoegazey bliss. Further singles "I Thought You'd Change" and "Out of Town" just confirmed this theory, however the nuance added by heavier tracks like the closer "Stump" and the conversational ambiance of "That Was My Life" creates a nice dimension for the album to explore. This is all without mentioning Beauty Filter and History Channel, what I believe are the two highlights of the album, the latter I believe I heard live as both songs were demoed on cassette tapes (and preformed live) in 2020 and 2021. (Will, if you're reading this, I humbly request you please play "Calling Out 2 U" at the Tucson show in December). All in all, this is an extremely solid listen, a worthy project to walk across campus with in the hot hot sun, and another fantastic release in the history of a great band with (I believe) a lot more gas in the tank.
Catch Hotline TNT live (and help me open up the pit!) at Club Congress on December 3rd here:
Listen to this release on your streaming source of choice here:
Sounds Like:
They Are Gutting A Body Of Water
Sword II
Wednesday
Toner
feeble little horse
Recommended Tracks:
I Thought You'd Change
History Channel
Beauty Filter
Reviewer’s Name: Micah Dalton
Date of Review: 11/6/23
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