Hammers of Misfortune are the primary project of the driven, outspoken John Cobbett, who was also the guitarist for Ludricra, who sadly disbanded earlier this year. Ostensibly this was done so that Cobbett could give his full attention to Hammers of Misfortune. As much as I will miss his other project, I have to admit that the sacrifice and focus have produced something extraordinary.
17th Street is complex and haunting. The layered male and female vocals are paired beautifully with the incredibly complex guitar work. The riffs stack on each other, drawing the listener out then laying them bare with intricate, plaintive solos, like the one at the end of “The Day the City Died.” Thick, groovy bass lines are caramel dark and creamy, contrasting the sharp, warbling guitar tones in “Staring (The 31st Floor).”
The keyboards are nimble and playful, or wistful and emotional, as the song dictates, and the album is full of powerful, sophisticated drumming that has the sense of effortlessness, like a heartbeat. Over all of this, Joe Hutton’s vocals soar, soulful and pure. Listening to 17th Street is the experience of having the knots in one’s heart untied — this isn’t an album that allows cynicism.
17th Street is nothing short of an incredible album: discontent, unsettling, never still and terribly lovely. “The Grain” is one of the best songs I’ve heard this year, and I have no doubt that this album will be on many year-end lists, including mine.
(released October 25, 2011 on Metal Blade Records)
