I feel like psych rock / indie pop outfit Hubbell Benson like to retain a certain air of mystery, because information regarding them is not particularly easy to come by. Never fear: I got out my shovel and did a bit of digging to unearth one or two nuggets of info for your reading pleasure.
The backbone of Hubbell Benson are New Jersey brothers Charlie and Sam Guarino, who formed the band in late 2022. They share duties equally in the studio, building their tracks from the ground up. Live, they are joined by drummer Joe Dilapo to form a formidable trio who often create extended, psyched out versions of their studio tracks.
Well, time flies: It’s been nearly 2 years since their last release, and now they’re back with new single “Born To Lose”.
The track starts with a wild descending pick scrape and a charmingly lo-fi riff that for some reason immediately brought to my mind Del Shannon’s ‘Runaway’. I heard echoes of the 50’s and 60’s; it’s quirkily infectious in the best way.
Vocals are set back slightly so they melt into the track, silky smooth and restrained. The simple melody bounces along, and there’s some perfectly judged effects to subtly elevate things.
It’s a real melting pot of sound that is hard to pin down. Wave after wave of crashes, strums, and vocals smother you with warm indie-rock, but a plethora of unusual sound choices – and the old-school rock and roll twang of those guitars – add wonderful layers of flavour. The final, trippy outro wraps things up perfectly.
Hubbell Benson are able to switch styles and moods from track to track – sometimes from bar to bar. “Born To Lose” effortlessly moves through the decades, creating a sound that feels entirely contemporary and truly distinctive. Take a listen below.
Written by Grubby
