Hollerado CD Review February 19, 2010 Label: Royal Mountain Records Hollerado – Record in a Bag

http://www.myspace.com/hollerado By: Alex Young

After being handpicked by Jack White to open the Dead Weather’s secret show at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto last summer, Canadian rockers Hollerado have been picking up steam. Featuring Dave Foley from Kids in the Hall in their music video for the song “Americanarama” the band proved they take touring seriously but don’t take themselves seriously at all. And now, following a stint with Andrew WK, The Stills, The Arkells and The Cribs, as well as having toured in Canada, the US, Brazil, Argentina and China, Hollerado is embarking on their own headlining tour to promote their latest album Record in a Bag.
The band combines quirky lyrics and wailing vocals with oddball guitar hooks drenched in raw distortion backed up by a tight rhythm section.

“Juliette” comes fully charged with eccentric guitar playing and an infectious chorus while lead singer Menno Versteeg wails, “We look at old photographs/of lovers come and gone/I ask if it makes her sad/she said son you’ve got so much to learn”. The track “On My Own” discusses the toll life on the road takes on people while they search for somewhere they can truly call home. The gospel style organ chords on the intro of “Got to Lose” sound closer to a Sunday hymn before the band bursts into their signature sound with some strange falsetto on climax of the chorus. Hollerado’s charm lies in the simple fact that no matter how weird you think some of their songs are they are still undeniably catchy.