One of my favorite bands from the UK is Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate. I have reviewed a few of their last albums, and everyone that I have reviewed or listened to is full of insightful, interesting and knowledgeable lyrics. Their music fits so well with the thought-provoking lyrics they write. They are quite prolific in their storytelling and musical development as well. They release albums more frequently than most bands. Likewise, they do have a lot to say, both lyrically and musically.
Hats Off Gentlemen (HOGIA) has returned with another spine-tingling album, The Light Of Ancient Mistakes. The album will be released on September 9, 2023, on their own Glass Castle Recordings label.
And yes, the artists who make this wonderful music are well-read, as you will see as I discuss the tracks below. Their music inspires me, because of the usual deep content they provide. It is, however, difficult to write about a HOGIA album. Because they do pull so much from literature, that I do not read frequently. But that is the wonderful gift they provide in their music. A hint to texts that you may not have heard about, or worlds you might be interested in exploring, beyond your regular reading and consumption. As someone famous once said, “Feed your head!”
HOGIA is made up of Malcolm Galloway, lead and backing vocals, guitars, keyboards, synths, additional drums and percussion, programming, producing, as well as mixing/mastering; Mark Gatland, on bass guitar, Chapman stick, keyboards, additional guitars, additional drums/percussion, backing vocals, co-producing, and vocal and flute engineering. Kathryn Thomas, plays flute. The lyrics are written by Malcolm Galloway.
So let’s begin! The album opens with something similar to what the world is all talking about lately. The effects of war and specifically, lately, the effects of ‘The Manhattan Project’ and the movie, Oppenheimer. The advent of the Cold War. “Sold The Peace”, is a bouncy, and different sounding song for HOGIA, musically. Malcolm sings, “We risked it all to set the world free. Dead or free. The opportunity cost of the unused bombs. So much invested!” “We won the war, but sold the peace”. Later, the ills of Reagan and Thatcher, and so many other leaders are remembered and lamented, “We spent you to your knees”. Government corruption, spelled out definitively. Very poignant and powerful. Instead of investing in people, and making life better on Earth, we allowed the spending of our taxes to go towards the construction of bombs and tools of war, that could ultimately destroy us all in the future. Bad choice, but a well written lament. Off to a powerful start!
The title track is another example of the amazing titles, this band is capable of creating. “The Light Of Ancient Mistakes”; what a bold and relevant title, indeed. And this track opens with the brilliant flute of Kathryn Thomas, which is well appreciated. Her flute work helped make Nostalgia for Infinity, my favorite album of 2020. Then, the keyboards begin along with some of the best Gilmour-like guitar, that just oozes all over the soundscape.
Malcolm sings, “800 years, the light waves creeping. An ancient mistake. A starlight weapon. I wanted to show you. How long it takes. The bright moment, then the dark. I’ve known for years. But I needed you to see for yourself. To look up and see the silent light. And think…” more wonderful Gilmour-like guitar. Then, “By the light of dying stars. You might see it differently. I brought you here to show you the night sky bright. The moment of radiation. The glow of expiring light”. The song is inspired by Science fiction author Iain M Banks’ novel, Look To Windward.
In his novel Look To Windward, Iain M Banks explores the long-lived consequences of an atrocity. In his book, the light from a sun-destroying explosion has travelled for 800 years before reaching an orbital where a commemoration for the tragedy is due to take place. The protagonist of the song is an artificial intelligence trying to show the futility of cycles of hatred to someone planning an act of mass destruction”. Please do your own research on this and some of the other books mentioned, and you will uncover some wonderful reading. An absolutely excellent title track, and one of my favorites on the album.
“Avrana Kern Is Made Of Ants”, is a wonderful spacey instrumental, full of cool keyboards and guitar. The inspiration for the track comes from Adrian Tchaikovsky’s book, Children of Time. In the book, “Dr. Avrana Kern is the head of a science team that has terraformed an uninhabitable planet and released a genetically designed nano virus to speed the evolution of monkeys”. Yeah…and the music sounds a little like ants building and designing.
“The Anxiety Machine Part 1”, is part one of a three part cosmic instrumental opus, which immediately took me back to the kinds of sounds and music I remember from parts of the movie, 2001 A Space Odyssey.
“Sixteen Hugless Years”, is inspired from “The childhood experiences of David Cornwell, who wrote as John le Carré. A very difficult story of abandonment and the aftereffects, of a coarse life, which followed.
“The Requisitioner And The Wonder”, is about two spaceships in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s book, Children of Time. This is a wonderful instrumental, full of spacey keys and dreamy, lush, textures of orchestration.
“The Glamour Boys”, according to Malcolm, was “inspired by Labour MP Chris Bryant’s book of the same name, about the experiences of a group of mostly homosexual or bisexual Conservative MPs who argued against appeasement, despite the threats from Chamberlain’s government to expose their secrets. Many went on to risk, and in some cases lose their lives in the Second World War”. Another powerful song about the ills of war, set to well-designed and original keyboards, drums, and guitar.
“Gothi And Gethli”, is about, according to Malcolm , “a pair of crow-like creatures which insistently deny they are sentient in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s book, Children of Time”. It is a more upbeat instrumental track, driven by deep bass chords, and beautiful piano. Later, the piano takes over this track, and helps create a long and growing smile.
“imtiredandeverythinghurts”, “is about Malcolm’s experiences with an invisible disability, due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and the difficulty knowing how to respond to the well-intentioned question ‘how are you’?” It is the heaviest of the tracks on the album. As close to punk as this band will probably ever get. However, the ailment is real, and it is amazing that Malcolm has this much energy and creativity left to write and record this brilliant music.
“The Anxiety Machine Part 2”, is full of spacey and almost cathedral like keyboards that sound a little like pipe organs. Larry Fast would be proud. Sit back and turn on the interstellar overdrive. Minus that annoying guitar pick…
“Walking To Aldebaran”, is also “inspired by the science fiction novella of the same name by Adrian Tchaikovsky”. Beautiful piano and ultra-dynamic flute interplay from Kathryn Thomas. Then, Malcolm sings us the story. It is another of my favorites on the album. The novella, “explores the transformation of a scared and lost man into a monster. The protagonist’s unflinching but partial understanding of what he is becoming is amusing but haunting. In order to keep the focus on the human rather than the monster, the song leaves the narrative of WTA before the protagonist engages in some activities of which we are unlikely to approve. The dehumanization of our enemies allows seemingly normal people to commit atrocities”. Another of the best tracks on the album.
“Goodbye Cassini”, is a wonderful, “flute led tribute to the real world space probe”, which completed an extensive survey of Saturn and its moons. “The ESA Huygens probe was the first to land on a world in the outer Solar System – on the surface of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon”. Thanks Kathryn Thomas.
“The Anxiety Machine Part 3”, is the last interstellar journey into the cosmos for this album. Enjoy this short flight as I’m sure you have the others.
“The Man Who Japed”, “is named after the Philip K Dick novel”. It is another opportunity to listen to a wonderful instrumental, and to relax and enjoy brilliant drums, percussion, keyboards and guitar.
“Burn The World”, is both a warning and an almost epitaph, to the tragic mistakes we have made since Man became the prime species on planet Earth. Malcolm laments, to slow stroked electric guitar, “There’s unbroken sea where an island used to be. The coral bleached long ago. The desert is winning. Forest is thinning. We could have made, but its easier to break. We could have tried. But its easier to fail. We could have taken care. We could have cared. Just enough to give ourselves a chance. We never learned to change. All the things we could have done. And we chose to burn the world”. Easily my favorite song on the album. A song that needs to be heard, with words that need to be said. Malcom finishes the song with, “What have we left for you?”
Malcolm also sent me some wonderful radio edits of some of the tracks which were also innovative and interesting. I think they will be bonuses on alternative versions of the album.
The music was written and performed by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland (1,3,5-9,14,15), Malcolm Galloway, Mark Gatland and Kathryn Thomas (2,11,12), and Malcolm Galloway (4,10,13).
The Light Of Ancient Mistakes was recorded in Belsize Park, South Woodford, and Enfield, UK, during, 2022-3.
The cover artwork, The Light Of Ancient Mistakes, was created by Malcolm Galloway, using Photoshop and AI assisted art. The booklet art and design, was accomplished by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland.
Malcolm states it best, “This isn’t a traditional concept album in the sense of having a single narrative. “However, we intended it to follow a musical and emotional journey exploring a range of themes that have felt relevant to us over the past few turbulent years”.
They have achieved success again! A wonderful album full of super intensive and beautiful music which will not only entertain you, but also teach and overwhelm you with warmth, if you let it. As all of their albums do, this will make you think, as you enjoy the wonderful treks and adventures, they help you explore.
Track List
1) Sold The Peace
2) The Light Of Ancient Mistakes
3) Avrana Kern Is Made Of Ants
4) The Anxiety Machine Part 1
5) Sixteen Hugless Years
6) The Requisitioner And The Wonder
7) The Glamour Boys
8) Gothi And Gethli
9) imtiredandeverythinghurts
10) The Anxiety Machine Part 2
11) Walking To Aldebaran
12) Goodbye Cassini
13) The Anxiety Machine Part 3
14) The Man Who Japed
15) Burn The World
Websites and Social Media:
https://hatsoffgentlemen.bandcamp.com/album/the-light-of-ancient-mistakes
https://hatsoffgentlemen.com/the-light-of-ancient-mistakes
https://www.facebook.com/itsadequate/
You Tube and Music Videos: