Mass Gothic

Description

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After nearly ten years as the creative force behind much-loved New York rock outfit Hooray For Earth, Noel Heroux had lost his way. I was constantly cutting corners and phoning everything in, he says. I was super depressed. I was creatively frustrated. I was emotion- ally unavailable to the people I really, really wanted to be there forand no matter how much I cared, I just couldnt change. But when I realized that I needed to the end the band and just try again, my head cleared and the clouds parted. Id been derailed somehow, he adds. So I allowed myself to return to the beginning.

This year marks the release of Mass Gothic, the Massachusetts-bred, New York-based singer/songwriters self-titled Sub Pop debut. Written and recorded at home over four months during the winter of 2013-2014, its a stunning reminder of not just Herouxs own remarkable talents as singer and songwriter, but how unbridled creativity can sound and feel: Before Hooray For Earth had quickly become a fully-functioning band, it began as a solo project. No pressure or compromisesjust Heroux, a four-track, and an irrepressible urge to jot down all of the noise and music floating around in my head and make it available to other people. All I wanted to do was whatever I do when Im alone and Im unconcerned with what anyone else wants or expects, he says. I did my best to let go, and what came out was pure, uncut. It reminded me of the first few times I made music, when I was a young kid. I didnt set any rules and I had zero expectations.
The result is an expansive, often exhilarating set of guitar-driven pop that required very little editing when it was done.

From the iridescent doo-wop of Every Night Youve Got to Save Me to the skyward crescendo of Mind is Probably to the falsetto-streaked clatter of Want to, Bad, its a radiant retelling of Herouxs starting over, with Nice Night as its cathartic, electrifying centerpiece. A lot of these songs are more or less a really dramatic, loud apology/thank you note, he says, referencing his partner, collaborator, and future tour mate, Jessica. It didnt matter where any of the sounds came from. I just cared that it sounded big and heavy, and that it was moving when it was done. Its a clean slate entirelyand Im so relieved.