Hinkley
‘Purblind’
Self-released
Hinkley’s latest, full-length offering, “Purblind,”
is an enigmatic album that evokes the homespun warmth of folk and Americana
without belonging to either genre. What we get instead are sophisticated rock
songs featuring simple, charming vocal melodies and full, harmonic textures in
the guitars and keyboards; Will Veeder’s voice
frequently recalls that of Neil Young.
The music itself
delightfully indulges in reverb-soaked psychedelia. The subtle shoegaze of Veeder and John Depuy’s guitars
suddenly explodes into anthemic hooks that would be
as at home in rock arenas as they are here in the intimate setting of
co-producer Dave Drago’s 1809 Studios in Mendon. The production choices are
savvy; the double tracking effect in the lead vocals, on songs like “Popular
Attitudes About Magic & Sexuality” and “Let’s Rot
Together,” lend haunting immediacy to Hinkley’s rich
sound.
“Purblind” is available on
iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, and Apple Music.
This article appears in Dec 5-11, 2018.
