REVIEW: It's Karma It's Cool - Woke Up In Hollywood

INDIE

It’s Karma It’s Cool - Woke Up in Hollywood

It’s Karma It’s Cool (henceforth referred to as IKIC for my sanity) is an indie-rock band from Lincoln. Woke Up in Hollywood is their debut album, following on from 2019’s EP/mini-album Hipsters and Aeroplanes. A four-piece group at their core, they favour a sound that is the aural equivalent to sunshine, beaches, and imaginary road-trips along archetypal American highways. And, while it would be tempting to pin their sound to an era that the band are too young to have experienced first-hand - i.e. 60’s/70’s pop - I find them more reminiscent of the bands that approximated that sound back in the 90’s. Without wanting to sound needlessly reductive, there is more of The La’s than The Beach Boys in their DNA.

I’ll show my ignorance early and confess that I hadn’t heard their previous EP, despite having seen it advertised locally many times, which makes listening to Woke Up in Hollywood my virginal toe-dipping into their musical world. And, what a bright and breezy world it is. The group is super tight, the songs succinctly composed (there’s little fat on these tracks), and, despite being 12 songs, there’s a brevity to this album that is testament to their song-writing nous. Listeners will be thankful to learn that the album leaves you satisfied, wanting more, and doesn’t outstay its welcome.

The album opens with bombastic intent as Our Love is an Amplifier bounds forward with a catchy riff quickly followed by a propelling bass, what sounds like a percussive wood block aping Don’t Fear the Reaper’s ubiquitous cowbell, and a shimmering synth line bubbling through the chorus. It’s catchy, superbly mixed, and perfect for distilling the band’s sound into a sonic parcel for those curious about what the IKIC thing is all about. Vocalist James has a voice all his own and, while it may be an acquired taste for some, I like the vibrato-heavy vibe he gives. If I was being lazy, I’d suggest a little bit of Live’s Ed Kowalczyk as a reference point (but only if I was being lazy...) Elsewhere, Martyn weaves lightly overdriven riffs and chords around the solid backbone of Mikey and Danny’s bass/drums combo; the rhythm section really do anchor these tunes. It’s an aesthetic that remains rooted for much of the album. However, there are moments peppered throughout that show some broader sound-scaping; Mariachi horns on New Age Eve and harmonica on Healer’s Leap (played by guest musician Brian Barry). These moments serve to add flavour, never becoming dominant, and give some essential textural variety. So, too, do the slower songs, which never veer into saccharine territory. Indeed, they seem to revel in a knack for the quirky side of pop in these moments, with only the album’s genuine ballad-ish song, Battle of Burnt Out Bliss, eschewing their usual uplifting aura; traded for something that sounds a good deal more serious.

There’s a warming, nostalgic, quality to the songs. And, for that, you could accuse IKIC of looking backwards instead of moving their oeuvre forward. And while I certainly would understand such a sentiment, IKIC do freshen things up; much as the likes of Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra, and their ilk reinvigorated 60’s pop and rock and introduced it to 90’s college radio.

The band is already working on a follow-up, such is the madness of the current Covid-19 situation and have hinted that there may well be some mild experimentation to be found, along with refining their signature sound. It could be a risky proposition. Woke Up in Hollywood is a neat slice of hook-infused rock and, while I enjoy experimentation, it must be justified to take steps toward changing that. After all, as good as Pinkerton is, there’s a reason why Weezer keep returning to their roots after each head-scratching detour. Still, we shall have to reserve judgement until the album is complete. As it currently stands, IKIC have delivered a solid, uplifting, antidote to the social and political turmoil we find ourselves in. And, for that alone, I heartily recommend searching this out.

Reviewed by Steve Cowan