Hot Face – ‘Automated Response’ album review: Play it bloody loud!
Punk is alive and well, as Hot Face deliver an up-tempo, distortion-laden debut gravelier than your Nan’s driveway.
The Skinny: Given the gritty nature of something like garage-punk, it almost seems strange for bands to put too much time into the production process. Equally though, when a band decides to embrace the grounded origin of the style they love, they often struggle to capture the power of live sound on a studio recording.
So, Hot Face decided on their debut to take a big risk, opting to lean into the compelling sound of good punk music in the moment by recording the whole album live. When you listen to Automated Response, you’re not listening to overzealous producer magic or something that has been carefully honed take after take – you’re listening to a group of live musicians play in front of an audience, and that comes across wonderfully.
So often you hear albums recorded in a moment that they can’t live up to. Either the quality of the songs is lacking, or the power of a good live show doesn’t resonate through the speakers, but neither of these common issues come through with Hot Face. Close your eyes and you could be convinced you were trapped in the proximity of strangers, thrashing side to side at a real punk show in a dingy venue. This album has all the power of great punk music, and it bleeds through the speakers in every second of Automated Response.
On the first track, ‘Defenestration’, before a single note is played, you’re met with the piercing ring of feedback, only broken up as drum sticks click together to count the band in. From those first seconds onwards, it’s clear what kind of album you’re going to listen to. Strap in, because it doesn’t get any easier. Power chords dance up and down distorted fretboards, drums contain more fills than actual rhythm, and the lyrics are packed with grit and bile.
Perhaps what’s just as impressive as the band’s ability to capture that live style of music is also the way that, despite them having one consistent sound throughout the record, they don’t allow the songs to blend into one another. Each has its own unique personality, with riffs that stick in your head, varying levels of energy, and searing vocal melodies. You can enjoy Automated Response as a full body of work but also revel in the individual songs that make it up.
Turns out punk is alive, and the best way to present it is quite literally live.
The Verdict: Recording your debut album in front of a live audience is a risky move, but the applause which follows after ‘I Love You’ is well earned, as Hot Face embodies the sound of punk wonderfully throughout their entire LP.
Defining track: ‘I Love You’
Release: January 23rd | Label: Speedy Wunderground | Producer: Dan Carey
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