“The Hot Takes II” by The Hot Takes: Hooks on Hooks on Hooks

Author

Michael Bang of Tell Me Tell Me

Stream The Hot Takes II

Have you ever been to Hooktown USA? It’s not a place it’s a state of mind, or music I guess. It’s where The Hot Takes live. If you’ve ever seen them or listened to them, congratulations you’ve been there!

In other words The Hot Takes slap. Their high energy new wave pop is so infectious there should be a public service announcement. Latest release “The Hot Takes II” is a five song party. You’re welcomed at the door with “Drop Dead on the Dancefloor” and before you can even get a drink they hit you with “Up All Night”. These titles tell you everything you need to know, and they deliver! I feel like I’ve lost pounds of sweat dancing while they’re on stage.

On “Barely In Love” aliens land to keep the party going and tell us about how strange we humans are. A short breather on the intro of “Heaven on Radio” lets us vibe and finally get that drink, or so we think until the chorus hits. Desperation peaks through the transcendent vocals, handing out those feels like party drugs. “Cannonball,” another on the money title, reminds us that every good night ends too soon. Loop that playlist, turn the record back over, fill it up again.

Even though it’s on another release I have to mention my personal favorite song of theirs. On “Hallelujah Superstar” singer Jared Savas uses a joyous, celebratory groove to exorcise childhood demons, singing “I’ve had enough I’m all done being lonely and I hated growing up, I hated growing up,” all to a hook with a capital H. No one can party on the edge of despair quite like The Hot Takes!

They recently took their glamorous neon rock to Elbo Room in Oakland, along with Tell Me Tell Me and Modern Monsters and it was glorious. You have another chance to check them out on 6/21 at one of the hottest venues in the Bay Area, Bottom of the Hill, coming up next Friday! Get tickets for that HERE.

(Note: apparently there actually is an unincorporated community in Kentucky called Hooktown! What a world.)
5/5 🥵 ⭐️ 💃 🤩 💖