The Hugs
The Hugs | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Portland, Oregon, USA |
Genres |
|
Years active | 2007–present |
Labels | 1965 Records, Columbia, Sony BMG |
Members | Danny Delegato |
Website | http://thehugsportland.com/ |
The Hugs are an American indie pop and psychedelic garage rock band from Portland, Oregon, formed in 2007 by lead singer-songwriter Danny Delegato, while attending Cleveland High School. A self-described "pop" band, their music is primarily influenced by the 1960s British Invasion movement and post-punk.[1] The Hugs have self-released eight studio albums.[2][3][4]
Early years, signing and splitting with Columbia Records
The band gained recognition after being signed by major label
In 2007 Portland Mercury wrote "Not too long ago, Roger Sargent—one of the two British music industry legends in question—was advised to set up a MySpace page in order to "reach out" to fans of a new photo book he had just published on the Libertines. Sargent's music industry notoriety comes from behind a camera's lens (the Guardian UK called him "The UK's most important music photographer"), as he is known for his portraits of Oasis, Franz Ferdinand, and Bloc Party. Speaking of his first introduction-via-MySpace to the kids from Cleveland High, "I got a somewhat cryptic message from a band calling themselves D&K. It was so annoyingly cryptic I had to check it out. The first song played and I was hooked, but the only thing was, I thought it was some kind of hoax. There was no way this music could be made by school kids."[10][11]
Regional and national critical acclaim
In 2007 Carl Barât, singer-songwriter of The Libertines, stated in London-based music magazine NME "I love The Hugs from Portland, Oregon. They're kind of like The Libertines but are taking it all from their own direction. They're a band who really know how to put a tune together and I'm totally dead excited about them."[12]
In 2007
In 2009 acclaimed movie director Gus Van Sant stated in an online New York Post magazine article, "there's a band called The Hugs that I like a lot, they play folk rock, they're a Portland band, I really like their songs.[13]
In 2009
Use in media
- On August 20, 2011 The Hugs song titled "Never Gonna Live, Never Going To Die" was featured on ABC Family show The Lying Game.[15]
- On December 15, 2011, The Hugs song titled "In Love" was featured on an online winter Gap Inc. sweater ad.
- On August 2, 2012, The Hugs song titled "In Love" was featured on MTV television show Awkward.[16]
- On January 12, 2013, The Hugs song titled "In Love" was featured on Tutti Rouge lingerie advert for Autumn.
- On December 11, 2014, The Hugs titled "In Love" was featured on Slednecks.[17]
- On March 18, 2015, The Hugs song titled "Come Close" was featured on Lena Dunham HBO T.V. show Girls season 4 episode 8.[18]
- On October 9, 2017, The Hugs song titled "Laws" was featured on Teen Mom 2 on MTV season 8 episode 15 "Love You, Mean it".
Current members
- Danny Delegato - lead vocals, guitar, songwriter, founder (2007–present)
Discography
2007–2008: The Hugs self-titled debut
In mid-2007, The Hugs were signed to
2009–2011: Again and Again
The Hugs second album, Again and Again, was released on October 6, 2009. The album was recorded w/producer and engineer Shay Scott in Portland, Oregon at his home studio "Klickitat Band Camp". Again and Again marked a stylistic departure from the previous album in that it was made up of song demos recorded in England and Europe, namely
2013–2015: Love Led You Here
The Hugs released Love Led You Here, their third studio album, on July 30, 2013. The album marked a further departure in sound from previous releases with a guitar-based pop and alternative sound, shoegazey-soundscapes and distorted guitars.
2016–2018: Feelings of Life
In March 2016, The Hugs released Feelings of Life, the band's fourth studio album, recorded in Portland, Oregon. The band added multi-instrumentalist David Appaloosa on guitar, vocals and producing duties. Feelings of Life marked another big stylistic departure from the previous album, introducing more programmed drums, anthemic hooks, and commercial pop and rock leanings. The tracks were recorded at Map Room Studio in Portland, Oregon and self-produced. Mixing by Sonny Diperri, whose credits include: Trent Reznor, STRFKR, Animal Collective, and Portugal. The Man. Northwest Music Scene Magazine wrote "This album takes you on a journey that is warm, a little exploratory, familiar, and full of great tunes. Much like life, Feelings of Life encompasses many of the feelings felt on this shared journey."[20]
2019–2020: Love You to Death
The Hugs released their 5th studio album, Love You to Death, on April 12, 2019, arguably the most pop-influenced The Hugs album to date. Tracks like "Who Loved You" and "Mile High Lady" showcase the continued pop, rock n' roll, and 90's garage influence that is woven through the entire The Hugs discography. Willamette Week stated "the Hugs are masters of synthesis who know how to push all the right buttons at all the right times. When your songwriting and production are as airtight as they are here, reinventing the wheel takes a backseat to squeezing as much excitement as possible out of a formula that's been tried and true for decades." The Album was engineered and co-produced by Brandon Egglesston at The Dandy Warhols warehouse studio "The Oddy" in Portland, Oregon. With additional mixing by Sonny Diperri (STRFKR, Portugal The Man). Tours and support slots supporting The Kooks, Finn Wolfhard of Calpurnia followed the albums release.[21]
2021: Dirty Gems LP (Reissue)
On December 7, 2021, The Hugs announced a reissue and 6th studio album Dirty Gems. Alongside the release of its first two singles, "Dot Dot" and "Reykjavik". The album was produced, mixed and engineered by long-time producer Shay Scott in Portland, Oregon. Drawing inspiration from guitar bands such as The Strokes and Television.
2022–2023: True to Your Own Spirit
On June 3, 2022, The Hugs announced their seventh studio album, True to Your Own Spirit. Alongside the release of its first two singles, "Singing Out My Window" and "In the Dead Black Night". Two more singles, "Sad Place" and "Witness", were released that year respectively. The album was mixed by The Strokes producer Gordon Raphael in Hebden Bridge, England. OPB wrote "The group’s latest single, “In the Dead Black Night,” was recorded with assistance from producer/mixer Gordon Raphael (The Strokes, Regina Spektor). Here, the band deftly matches a catchy funk beat and the hopeful lyrics of a traditional pop song with painfully beautiful vocals and an ominous instrumental undertone." [22]
2024–present: New Adventure
On February 2nd, 2024, The Hugs announced their eighth studio album, New Adventure. Alongside the release of its first two singles, "Till You're Gone" and "From The Stars". The album was co-produced by Danny Delegato & Ben Stager in Portland, and recorded in parts of the rural Oregon coast. The album was mastered at Svenska Grammofon Studio by Frida Johansson in Gothenburg, Sweden. Drawing unique inspiration from singer songwriter Beck, MGMT and 90's synth pop. Further explaining the bands new outlook and sound with Eugene Weekly, Danny Delegato said: “We’re trying to go into the future of music, I’ve always written in different genres, no matter what though I like the idea of writing really great pop songs and keeping it simple.” As far as the influence of post hip-hop singer-songwriter Beck, Delegato says, “I like how he has an ethos of ‘Try anything once.’ We tried to do that on this new album. A lot of stuff was mysteriously working. It’s all good timing.”[23]
Albums and EPs
- "The Hugs" (Self Titled) (7 May 2007)
- "Again And Again" (6 October 2009)
- "Love Led You Here" (30 July 2013)
- "Feelings of Life" (25 March 2016)
- "Love You To Death" (12 April 2019)
- "Dirty Gems" (10 December 2021)
- "True To Your Own Spirit" (3 June 2022)
- "New Adventure" (2 Feb 2024)
Singles
- "North" (9 March 2007)
- "Palm Trees" (15 June 2007)
- "She Was High" (3 August 2009)
- "Ego's" (9 November 2009)
- "Reykjavik" (5 July 2012)
- "Dot Dot" (7 August 2012)
- "Magnify" (2 July 2013)
- "Let It Go" (12 November 2013)
- "Wherever You Go" (7 January 2016)
- "Story Books" (15 September 2016)
- "Tunnel" (14 April 2017)
- "Fearless" (3 November 2017)
- "Want You Now" (26 December 2017)
- "Mile High Lady" (18 March 2019)
- "Love You To Death" (1 September 2019)
- "Friends Can Break Your Heart" (19 June 2020)
- "Future Nostalgia" (27 November 2020)
- "On And On" (4 May 2021)
- "In The Dead Black Night" (21 May 2021)
- "Où Tu Sais" (11 June 2021)
- "Singing Out My Window" (16 July 2021)
- "Great Bolongo Beat" (21 August 2021)
- "Witness" (24 September 2021)
- "Strangers Lost" (26 January 2022)
- "Sad Place" " (2 June 2022)
- "Lost Cowboy Kid" " (2 May 2023)
- "You Are Everything" " (26 May 2023)
- "Till You're Gone" " (23 June 2023)
- "From The Stars" " (4 August 2023)
- "Next To The Sea " (8 October 2023)
References
- ^ "CD Reviews: The Hugs, Leonard Mynx". Willamette Week. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
- ^ "The Hugs, Space Shark, Ellis Pink". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ "The Hugs, The Critical Shakes, Soccer Babes". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ Christensen, David. "The Hugs Live at OPB". Opb.org. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ "CD Reviews: The Hugs, Leonard Mynx". Wweek.com. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Big Youth". Wweek.com. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ Hardee, Howard. "Indie-pop band the Hugs aren't rough enough for Portland, and they like it that way". Inlander.com. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ "[INTERVIEW] with...The Hugs". Itsallindie.com. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ "The Hugs - Interview Magazine". Interviewmagazine.com. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ a b Caraeff, Ezra Ace. "Your New Favorite Band?". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ https://www.bendbulletin.com/lifestyle/portlands-the-hugs-to-play-mcmenamins-wednesday/article_e1407a56-6ce4-11ec-b6f8-f3fba62f0f8f.html
- ^ a b "The View/The Metros/Holy Ghost Revival/Frank Sidebottom/The Hugs; ULU, London, Saturday, December 8 - NME". Nme.com. 7 January 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "GUS VAN SANT". Nypost.com. 23 November 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "The Hugs - Interview Magazine". Interviewmagazine.com. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Music from The Lying Game S1E01". Tunefind.com. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Music from Awkward Episode 6 Season 2". Soundtrack.mtv.com. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Music from Slednecks: Season 1, Episode 13". Soundtrack.mtv.com. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ "Music from Girls S4E08". Tunefind.com. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ http://soundtrack.mtv.com/post/music-from-teen-mom-2-season-8-episode-15/
- ^ https://www.northwestmusicscene.net/review-the-hugs-aptly-titled-feelings-of-life-realistically-reflects-mortality/
- ^ https://kwva.uoregon.edu/2019/01/22/album-review-love-you-to-death-by-the-hugs/
- ^ https://www.opb.org/article/2021/06/28/portland-oregon-new-music-monday-mix-the-hugs-q-maita/
- ^ https://eugeneweekly.com/2023/05/11/hug-it-out/
- ^ Cottell, Pete (5 April 2019). "The Hugs' New Album Doesn't Reinvent the Wheel, But it Hits All of Guitar Rock's Pleasure Centers". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2021.