Hypermarket 5.0;
don't worry, it's not the name of the lastest mega-retailer moving in
to plunder your neighborhood.Hypermarket 5.0
By Dan Golden
Hypermarket 5.0;
don't worry, it's not the name of the lastest mega-retailer moving in
to plunder your neighborhood.
Hypermarket
5.0 is a collective of raw musical spirits, producing a frenetic aural
assault aimed at "disposable culture" foibles. Built around the core
of keyboardist/composer Bob Gaulke and his songwriting partner, guitarist
Eric Gregory, the current lineup of this everchanging outfit is definitely
a keeper. With a sound that's both contemporary and yet hauntingly familiar,
Hypermarket 5.0's two latest CD releases Context Is Everything and Weekend
are a testament to the band's potential.
In a city noted
for it's vast musical undercurrent, this group is certainly a cut above
the rest in terms of talent, dedication and output. Their instrumental
format alone is cause for celebration. In addition to the more traditional
guitar/bass/drums power trio setup that drives most pop/rock bands,
Hypermarket 5.0 includes Jen Harrison as a featured player on French
horn! Not only does she lend another solo voice to the group's richly
layered sound, she ocnsistently backs lead singer Bibi Tucker's vocal
lines with a harmony accompaniment. Along with Gaulke's keyboard, drummer
Brad Denig and bass player Steve Loudon hold down a driving rhythm section
with enough oomph to push the audience into orbit. Add to this Gregory's
lilting leads and boomchuck rhythm licks and soon you have the basis
of Hypermarket 5.0's truly original sound.
Starting as partners
in their East Coast home town of Rochester, N.Y., back in '91, Gaulke
and Gregory have clung tenaciously to the Hypermarket torch. Their first
recording, Famous Profiles in Retail, released in 1994, met with something
less than critical acclaim. The current releases, however, show a marked
improvement in listenability and clarity of thought.
In the ideologically
volatile '60s, Hypermarket 5.0 might have been labeled as a "protest"
band, but today their music could serve as a clarion call to any thinking
individual. Listeners are apprised of the Supersaturation Culture and
given a pass to The Innerloop. Take a ride On The Bus or relive the
Summer of Love. The grooves bubble and twist, and tinstrumentation is
at once stark and lush.
While both Context
Is Everything and Weekend were recorded with previous versions
of the group, their relevance in Hypermarket's band history remain intact.
Weekend was recorded "Big Pink"-style in a makeshift facility at the
coast by sit-in guitarist Sean Flora. Both of the CDs serve as an adjunct
to the rest of this busy band's current activities. A public access
cable show and a new release based on their original rock opera Larry
are prime projects on tap. "If we could get the money together, we'd
put out 10 records a year," Gaulke states confidently. It is a most
believable boast.