It Hugs Back – Inside Your Guitar

The debut album by Kent four piece It Hugs Back starts off with Q, which is some fuzzy folktronica that burbles along gently, then squeals politely into life before getting back to its place. Work Day follows and shows some softly sung shy indie pop, the band no doubt hiding bashfully behind fringes. Don’t Know continues in similar fashion, apart from a pulsating keyboard bit in the middle and some chiming guitars near the end. Forgotten Song is more wistful, breathy modern folk, but with the negligible effect it has on you the title is in danger of becoming apt. Soon is atmospheric more than anything and sounds like static interference with mumbling over the top. Back Down is much better, shambling and fuzzing like a coy very of early Jesus & Mary Chain with the rough edges smoothed off while Remember, although brittle and laid back again, is rather beautiful. There are lots of pregnant pauses to accentuate the emotion in the song. Now + Again is a little shambling delight, Look Out is slow paced, but with a bit more meat on the bones, some nice drones and gentle riffing and finally Rehearsal sounds like just that, a whispered but can’t really be bothered piece. Overall, there are some interesting moments, but a feeling of a potential being unfulfilled.

Inside Your Guitar is released on 4AD on April 6th
It Hugs Back myspace is here