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Die Hoffnung

Love Songs (2006)
No Idea Records

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Contributed by: Brian
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Published on November 14th 2006

While Die Hoffnung is made up of the brothers Marburger from I Hate Myself, it should be made known that there's actually only one track on Love Songs that could be mistaken for an IHM tune (closer "Tour of Bridges"). The other 11 are surprisingly more riffier, driving, and laden with tempo and mood changes than IHM ever was, as DH references mid-`80s emo icons much in the same way Hot Cross did on their last offering, 2004's Fair Trades and Farewells EP.

The object of Love Songs' desire is mainly loose, usually noodly guitars propelling schizophrenic emotions. If the band isn't executing short, fiftful bursts ("Lovemonger"), they're cramming all sorts of mini-buildups and letdowns into four or five-minute expressions (the horn-helped "Der Autounfull," "Olga the Contortionist vs. Harry Houdini"). Bass-less, the album still manages to convey strange, twisted noise for all of its 37 minutes, in between cross-sections of quiet, more solemn reflections, like in the captivating "Orpheus in His Underwear."

Dark and confounding, the band often come off lyrically like Harry Potter spells, but it lends to the music well ("Drink deep and choke on this bleeding briny wine / Bubbly shanties, gurgle-groans, your chums, abob, in time chant...").

While the album seems to run slightly thin by its second half, I'm glad Love Songs finally saw the light of day, as it was recorded way back in July of 2005. Die Hoffnung expertly manage to convey the same weird sense of loss, desperation, and confusion as did their lineage, but in a whole new, refreshing way.

Der Autounfull

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Lovemonger
Orpheus in His Underwear

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greyicewater (November 16, 2006)

i agree, definately more of a burnman sound.

still waiting for my copy to arrive... i'm a little impatient.

Anonymous (November 16, 2006)

More Burnman then then I Hate myself.

Anonymous (November 15, 2006)

This is astonishing to say the least! The abrasive guitar tone which spews out some really catchy riffs is amazing and fast tempoed attacking drum sound is perplexing. You can say emo with pride on this one.

cantsitstill (November 15, 2006)

isn't it PÜNG?

sweetsuperior (November 15, 2006)

Pung!

Greeny341 (November 15, 2006)

The myspace link is mine, if you want a song up just let me know and ill be happy to put it up.

feeeding5000 (November 14, 2006)

Hooray for pre-crap emo people. Why can't there still be emo bands that actually have some sort of -core attached? (I'm not talking about emo-metal/metalcore...those bands hurt me).

Anonymous (November 14, 2006)

Is that really their only Myspace? God, I hope not.

maverick (November 14, 2006)

I think I like Burnman more than this, but it's still pretty good. Definitely miss IHM, though.

-Scott

fritobandito (November 14, 2006)

I think I would like this a lot more if the "I really fucking wish I Hate Myself was still around" thought wasn't always in the back of my mind when I listen to this album. It seriously just makes me sad that IHM is gone.

Basically, this is nowhere near as good as IHM, but not much is, so it's a really good album but I can't get into it.

Kind of like how Caution was a great pop-punk album, but knowing Hot Water Music's history, it kind of fell flat for me.

greyicewater (November 14, 2006)

i can't believe this is finally out!! i still haven't gotten mine surprisingly. but i'm so happy i can actually get my hands on it now. i hate myself changed my life and will forever be one of my favorite bands ever. everything those brothers touch is golden. what i have heard from this project is fantastic as well. i know i'm going to love it.