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Album reviews Music

Hockey

Rating: NNN


With a name as dumb as Hockey, these Portland hipsters tempt me to dismiss them as having overdosed on irony. But to their credit, there are a few decent new-wavey pop hooks here. Emerging from that trendy confluence of indie rock and electro, Hockey sound like a less serious version of the Strokes and Phoenix.

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Lead single/opener/obviously-their-best-song Too Fake – a self-aware meta-comment on the band itself – builds a catchy, party-rawk chorus off an unlikely bass hook, while Work’s downtempo groove features an unexpected, satisfying mellow turn. Beyond that, Hockey come up short. Scenester lyrics (as reflexively self-deprecating as they may be) fail without compelling music, like on Wanna Be Black and Everyone’s The Same Age.

Top track: Too Fake

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