Two of our favorite things to enjoy often times overlap and goes hand in hand equally telling a story, and although a silent film can paint a picture, there’s nothing better than the including of a score. When listening to music, we often find ourselves connecting them our favorite films or films that only exist in our mind but can totally see them going together which is the case with the new single “Tortunga” (45 version) off of the “Here’s Hearing Things” LP from Hearing Things. At the initial listening, we instantly pictured a quirky character from one of the many detective and Euro-spy spoof films committing a heist in style with a 60’s style jazz theme as the back drop. Once we read the press release, we knew we weren’t too far off.
Take one listen to Hearing Things and you’ll be led straight through the grooves of a well-worn 45, back to a time of instrumental pop hits like “Walk Don’t Run” by The Ventures, “Tequila” by The Champs, and “Sleep Walk” by Santo & Johnny. Weaving elements of surf rock, lounge pop, soul, and jazz, these songs speak without words, borrowing a language that feels familiar yet unexpected—something we last heard through a speaker in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s.
Bandleader/Saxophonist/Composer Matt Bauder is accompanied on all 10 tracks by JP Schlegelmilch (organ) and Vinnie Sperrazza (drums). Their seamless collaboration reveals a curiosity rivaled only by its sense of humor. On every track, this trio of true entertainers locks together like greased gears, churning out tight landscapes of sultry and raw sax, fuzzy baritone guitar, a slithering organ, and classic drum beats. They spin through a modern analysis of a sound so familiar, Hearing Things makes you wonder if the future is indeed the past.
Hearing Things presents heavy, sophisticated tonalities across a blend of genres, while somehow evoking a playful wit. “You just end up in a world where it all melds together,” Bauder says. “You get close to these classic sounds while finding your own interpretation.” Surely there’s a science behind making such elaborate compositions feel so traditional and primitive, and these boys make it sound easy.