HamsandwicH - Stories From the Surface

Anybody who witnessed HamsandwicH’s stunning performance at last year’s Electric Picnic couldn’t disagree that the Meath band have successfully progressed from being irreverent young indie hopefuls (initially dismissed by many as a novelty band) into a truly world-class live act. With the release of this third album, their long-awaited follow-up to 2010’s widely acclaimed White Fox, they ably demonstrate that their song-writing and studio work has also seriously matured.
Produced once again by the renowned Karl Odlum (Damien Rice, The Frames, Gemma Hayes), the ten-track Stories from the Surface was recorded in fits and starts over two years in Windmill Lane and various other Dublin studios. It was mastered by Greg Calbi (Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads, The War On Drugs), and mixed by Danny Kalb (Beck, Karen O, Ben Harper). The resulting album is as sonically smooth and polished a collection of gorgeous pop/rock gems as you’d expect from such experienced technical talents.
They had much creative raw material to work with. Featuring a vaguely futuristic Alan Clark painting on the cover, and with song titles such as ‘Apollo’, ‘To Replicate’ and ‘Satellite’, there’s a vague Sci-Fi theme to Stories from the Surface. Dig beneath that surface, however, and it sounds a lot more like a break-up album.
From moody opener ‘Hold Me Up’ to the gorgeously poignant acoustic closing track ‘All Worthwhile’, there’s a world of pain and regret explored in these songs. Sadness has rarely sounded so appealing. Perhaps the theme of the whole album is best encapsulated in ‘Broken (Start Over)’: “All this talk of giving up/ All this talk of letting go/ Makes my hand turn a page a minute/ Makes my head turn away from what’s in it.”
HamsandwicH have always offered well-crafted, hook-laden tunes, but musically they’re sounding tighter and more melodic than ever here. There’s a deeply multi-layered sound, with many tracks still revealing something fresh after multiple listens. Niamh Farrell handles most of the vocal duties, with Podge McNamee’s supporting growl providing a moodier male counterpoint. If HamsandwicH ever disband, he could make a decent living imitating Matt Berninger in a The National tribute band. The similarity is particular evident on ‘To Replicate’, when he deeply croons, “You’ll summon a way/ to replicate the same mistake I made.”
Featuring a gorgeous glockenspiel, third cut ‘Fandango’ examines the ‘grass greener on the other side’ dilemma that everyone in a relationship faces at some point: “Set my sights, hold my doubts/ Is someone better than you/ Have I missed out?”
Thankfully, if the songs can be taken as an emotional journey, it ends on a relatively positive note. It closes lovingly, with the gently strummed ‘All Worthwhile’: “It will take time, do you realise it was all worthwhile?/ I loved you then, but now we are just friends/ If I let go of this, will I grow a bit, or will I change my mind/ I loved you then, but now we are just friends.”
They might be called HamsandwicH, but don’t let that spoil your appetite. Truly, this is a gourmet offering.

Key Track - 'Broken (Start Over)'