Guilty pleasure. Something you secretly enjoy, even though you know it's not supposed to be. A secret pleasure or secret enjoyment. Often applied to certain pop songs that, according to general opinion, 'can't be played'. In many ways it has a negative feeling but it doesn't has to be. Because it is only you who decides what you like music wise. Nobody else! This probably happens a lot of time to lovers of progressive rock. You enjoy a musical style which hardly has any connection with this musical genre. Because you know it is just like prog very enjoyable. I had this feeling when I was listening to the album Mostly Harmless. Released by the British act Hoopy Frood. Hoopy Frood are based in Reading, in the south of the United Kingdom. They have already released 4 studio albums including the earlier mentioned new album. They started as a studio project and released their debut album Psychonaut in 2004. After they received an irresistible offer to open for Ozric Tentacles they put together a real live band. This concert was a big success and now more than twenty years later, the band still exists and has released the following albums since their debut; Indigo (2009), Affirmations (2021) and the new album Mostly Harmless (2025). But why is this new album a guilty pleasure you might ask yourself. Well most of all because you can hear on this album next to Electronic/Progressive Rock, Space Rock and Psychedelic Rock musical styles such as Reggae, Dub and Trip Hop. Styles which most progheads will not love but hate. As for myself I don't like reggae at all and hate the music of Bob Marley. But the way this band puts all those musical elements together on this album really gave me a good feeling and enjoyed listening to this album. Most of all the catchy rhythms in combination with guitar solos reminiscent of David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) is perfectly done. Just listen to songs such as Already Home, Chocolate Factory, The River, Nothing, Chasing The Sun and Give and you do know what I mean. Also the space rock sound of Ozric Tentacles mixed with those unusual musical styles worked very well for me and is one of the reasons I like their musical sound. Rhythm is certainly the key word on this album. The band seems to have a certain penchant for more laid-back reggae rhythms, such as those found in Chocolate Factory, You Are Love, Chasing The Sun and Give. On the other hand, there are also stronger electronic and techno influences evident on a track such as Chocolate Factory with its electro-lounge sound or the sequencers in Waiting Room and Give. A few percussive rhythms can be found on tracks such as Chocolate Factory, Dream Your Own and Give. More groovy variations of the basic patterns you can enjoy on compositions such as Shine and Chasing The Sun. In summary you can say that for almost an hour, this largely inoffensive work moves weightlessly between prog, space rock, pop, psychedelia, electronica, reggae and rock. In which Hoopy Frood's musical influences come to the surface and you can enjoy the musical traces of acts such as Ozric Tentacles, Pink Floyd and Bob Marley & The Wailers. Try for yourself if Mostly Harmless is for you a guilty pleasure as it was for me! *** Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
