The Mother Hips Set To Release 'Chronicle Man'

Article Contributed by Good Cop PR | Published on Tuesday, April 29, 2014

One of the first lessons they teach you in film school is that you sometimes have to “kill your darlings”. It’s a term that means no matter how much you love a scene you shot; if it doesn’t fit in the film, it ends up on the cutting room floor. In 2009, The Mother Hips rescued a short stack of 2-inch analog tapes from a Los Angeles basement and started picking through hours of material, most of it recorded around the era that produced 1995’s Part Timer Goes Full and ‘96’s Shootout. They were thrilled with what they heard. In fact the band was so prolific during this period that literally dozens of top-notch songs were shelved and never saw the light of day as the group continued to spit out new material with machine gun rapidity. Now the band has compiled the cream of this lost crop into this eleven-song treasure trove titled Chronicle Man.

The Mother Hips, the center of which is the duo of Tim Bluhm (vocals/guitar) and Greg Loiacono (guitar/vocals), have spent over two decades writing, recording and performing songs, and die-hard fans who still talk about their “first Hips show,” have hung on every word and have enabled The Mother Hips to become a bona fide cottage industry. The band was even able to lay claim to a rock subgenre, “California Soul” (aptly arrived upon) so solidified that brands like Sierra Nevada Brewery crafted a beer “Hips Helles” based on the bands’ sound, not to mention, spearhead a longstanding music and arts festival, The Hipnic, (now in its sixth year) slated for May 9-11 in Big Sur.

But most of all, what comes through loud and clear is that The Hips have already left us with an incredible legacy of music, from their stunning 1993 debut Back To The Grotto to 2013’s Behind Beyond (their eighth studio album). 2011 saw a four (!) CD retrospective compilation of all previously unreleased material called Days of Sun and Grass-- a special treat to their fans for all their support over the years. And the fans aren’t alone in their admiration of the impressive catalog. The Mother Hips have garnered critical acclaim from the likes of The New Yorker, Mojo, Relix, Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, among many other outlets, over the years.

The album kicks off with the dark ramble of “Desert Song,” for years a forgotten and oft-whispered about mythic ode to sojourners of the West. Next up is “El Pancho Villa,” a one-time live show favorite that takes the early Bee Gees and rides them hard over a fuzzy, shambolic groove. “St. Andrew,” with its' historical lesson and downer country vibes, is the Hip’s feel in a nutshell. From the jackhammer hard rock of the title track to the organ-laden blues raunch of “Headache To Headache,” Chronicle Man’s reintroduction of these unearthed gems will satisfy old fans and newcomers alike. Please step up and give it some of your time and attention.

Chronicle Man is due out on July 15th on Mother Hips Records, available on Digital, LP and CD.

And par usual, the Hips have tour dates coming up. Here they are:

May 9th, 2014

THE MOTHER HIPS SIXTH ANNUAL FAMILY HIPNIC

Big Sur, CA

 

May 10th, 2014

THE MOTHER HIPS SIXTH ANNUAL FAMILY HIPNIC

Big Sur, CA

 

 

 

 

May 15th, 2014

SOHO

Santa Barbara, CA

 

May 16th, 2014

BOOTLEG THEATER

Los Angeles, CA

 

May 17th, 2014

MOE'S ALLEY

Santa Cruz, CA

 

May 20th, 2014

SIERRA NEVADA BIG ROOM

Chico, CA

 

May 21st, 2014

SIERRA NEVADA BIG ROOM

Chico, CA

 

May 23rd, 2014

CERVANTES' OTHER SIDE

Denver, CO

 

May 24th, 2014

CAMPOUT FOR THE CAUSE
THE PLAYA RANCHO DEL RIO

Bond, CO

 

May 25th, 2014

MEADOWGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL
LA FORET CONFERENCE AND RETREAT CENTER

Colorado Springs, CO

 

June 19th, 2014

TERRAPIN CROSSROADS

San Rafael, CA

 

June 20th, 2014

TERRAPIN CROSSROADS

San Rafael, CA

 

July 3-6 , 2014

HIGH SIERRA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Quincy, CA

 

August 1st, 2014

GUITARFISH FESTIVAL
CISCO GROVES CAMPGROUND

Soda Springs, CA