The Hidden Persuaders— Below the Radar, Ready For Success

They told me The Hidden Persuaders was alt.country. I guess that is what you call anything these days which has a pedal steel— that or Americana. The first thought in my head was The Georgian Company, an Austin band a few years ago fronted by George Irwin, though when I revisited their two EPs, the two bands didn’t sound much alike. Still, there is something about the aura of each band which maybe defies the sound. Something as important but somewhat indefinable. It may be in something as simple as the chord progressions or the use of pedal steel, but neither strikes me as alt.country. Hell, I don’t even know if I know what that is.

 

Neither band is as slick as they could be, which to me is a good thing. I tire of overproduction, the songs obviously worked over ad infinitum. I like a semblance of spontaneity, but controlled. Like my friends tell me when I’ve had too much to drink, moderation is a good thing. It is a good thing on The Hidden Persuaders first album.

Self-titled, the album relies on a light mid-tempo, reverb (on just about everything on some songs), and a better than average collection of originals presented simply and honestly. Rock with twists. Pop. And, yes, country, but in a rock vein.

“One and All” is the band’s nod toward the ballads of the fifties and sixties. It is doo-wop without the wop, reminiscent of, say, The Moonglows. The Hidden Persuaders’ version of “I Only Have Eyes For You” for modern rock band. “The End” and “Alaska” have just enough sixties pop/psych in them, as does the only non-original on the album, The Spacemen 3’s “So Hot (Wash Away All of My Tears),” which will have me looking up that band as soon as this review is completed. “The End,” in fact, reminds me so much of Seattle’s Goldie Wilson, it’s almost unnerving. All that’s missing is the voice of Rose Bergdoll. “Welcome to the Blue Screen” sounds very Winterpills-like to me, the music flowing and the voices harmonic over a semi-psych background. Again, beautiful but not too slick.

This grew on me over a period of a few weeks. Each listen seemed to bring something else to the fore; i.e., it just kept getting better. Which should be a warning to needle-droppers. If you expect to fall in love five seconds at a time, you are on a fool’s errand. The best albums are the ones that give you more each time. The Hidden Persuaders gives you plenty.