Hawel/McPhail – Sorrow Wonderland LP (La Pochette Surprise)

Sometimes, all we need to set ourselves in the right mood is to put a needle on the fresh record, crank the amplifier up to the max, and enjoy those raspy, crunchy, fuzzy sounds. That’s the exact thing that happens once you put on Sorrow Wonderland by Hawel/McPhail. It’s one of those records that not only shines with tremendous guitar work and groovy beats but also transports you to an entirely different time and place almost instantly. Hawel/McPhail’s music exists somewhere at the intersection between sixties and seventies garage rock landscape, luxuriant sonic maneuvers borrowed from seventies psychedelic rock music, old school punk rock dynamics, and even some krautrock moments thrown into this irresistible cocktail now and then. Some garage rock purists might say this is way too much genres combined together, but do not worry, Hawel/McPhail know what they’re doing, and they’re doing it pretty damn well. Only a few bands can immediately transport you into the sixties and seventies, eras where many of the mentioned rock subgenres ruled the airwaves, but of course, as usually is the case, they also threw bits and pieces of the nineties and contemporary sound to spice things up, develop some extra flavor, and uplift the listening experience to completely new heights. Therefore, these experiments with so many different yet complementary styles, enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details resulted in a brilliant album that will stay with you for a while.

Hawel/McPhail expand their sound with every upcoming composition. Surely, when you put a needle on a record, even the introductory piece shines with so many beautiful vocal, sonic, and rhyhtmic maneuvers, but each song delivers even more hidden gems, cleverly implemented layers, various decorations, marvelous orchestrations, and other embellisments that unquestionably upgrade this material to another level. But even those straightforward compositions arrive with a perfect structure, clever arrangements, profoundly detailed segments, outstanding ideas, and impressive musicianship. Also, Sorrow Wonderland does not overstay its welcome. It’s one of those albums that has a natural flow, with every composition lasting long enough to keep your mind occupied and deeply impressed with everything what’s going on in Hawel/McPhail’s music. And once you spin this gem on your turntable, it will force you to flip the record and spin it once again. The soulful, passionate, melodic lead vocals, uplifting back vocals, and other vocal layers are so harmonious, captivating, and beautiful, adding more than necessary melody, complexity, detail, depth, and emotion to these marvelous songs. The vocals expertly balance over those raw riffs, warm basslines, and groovy beats, decorating every segment and instrumentation with such precision and finesse. And modular synths bring all those swirls, sequences, pads, harmonies, melodies, themes, and other sonic maneuvers, infusing that sweet psych and krautrock flow and vibe into those songs while fuzzy guitar riffs and chord progressions lurk around, bringing more abrasion, rawness, grittiness, and aggression without even spoiling the melody and harmony of the album. These interplays are so carefully and thoughtfully planned, paired, and performed that their vividly audible presence certainly enhances the listening experience.

Beneath all those lush synth and guitar maneuvers, you’ll notice how intricate, vividly hearable basslines roam, contributing more heaviness, melody, clarity, depth, warm, and other qualities any album certainly demands and needs. Besides being a fundamental backbone of the album, the bass guitar also blends the mentioned orchestrations together with rhyhtmic patterns. The rhythmic support goes beyond comprehension here, as each beat, break, fill, accentuations, and other percussive acrobatic has its place and purpose in shaping the beating heart of an album. Whether we are talking about snare and kick or hi-hats and cymbals, they all work flawlessly here, shaping rhythmic sequences and keeping everything in line. Hawel/McPhail thought about everything while writing, composing, arranging, recording, and producing this fine piece of sonic artistry. Sorrow Wonderland showcases these Hamburg-based indie rock veterans doing what they do best. Their blend of garage, indie, power pop, psych, and krautrock goes beyond comprehension so many times throughout the entire album, and you simply need to hear it as soon as possible. You should consider visiting La Pochette Surprise Records’ webshop and purchasing this masterpiece, because this record will easily become a staple in your listening sessions.