Hookworms' debut album is a psychedelic rock album, not far removed from the sort of stuff Yo La Tengo have built a career around where the rhythm section lays down a midtempo groove and the guitars are just allowed to slobber all over the mix. Hookworms use their share of feedback and echo, but often instead have a sort of thin drone cover these songs, as opposed to a full-on guitar freak out. I'm actually a fan of this sort of music, especially when the guitars stumble across some interesting tones and textures, which Hookworms do at times. I think of Bailter Space, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine as sort of the prime examples of the sort of powerful and interesting sounds a band can wring out of a guitar, and Hookworms have their moments. The first track, "Away/Towards", comes at you with waves of reverb that feel like they're advancing on you but never actually getting there. It's easy to get lost in this stuff as the sounds often approximate some really out-there mental images. It's imaginative music, but Hookworms don't seem to go all-in with the instrument, and things can get a bit dull on the quieter moments.
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