The fourth album from Hurry is a refreshing distillation of what makes pop rock great. Jangly guitars with singable choruses and great hooks are the key elements in Fake Ideas. It has melodies that feel timeless and ‘classic’, something inherently familiar but placed under a distinct lens, as what makes this record shine is its sincerity. Singer Matt Scottoline has woven the album’s theme around anxiety, and the idea that these ‘fake ideas’ can oftentimes seep into our minds and rule our reality. Yet the core sentiment of these songs don’t hurt the brightness and charming nature of the album, it only gives it more depth.
Take for example the opening “It’s Dangerous”, a 90’s power pop love song with soaring melodies and chunky riffs. At the heart of it, Scottoline talks about a hesitancy towards pursuing love, fearing that it might ruin both parties. This warm-and-cold dichotomy permeates Fake Ideas, one that appears again in the following track “A Fake Idea”. On the surface it’s bouncy and almost restless, but lyrically Scottoline laments on the insidious ideas brought about by their anxiety. The bridge speaks of this inner turmoil: “Do you ever really try and think from time to time / all the terrible reasons why / we keep deflecting what’s inside.” It’s these moments of self-reflection and complex examinations that I find elevate the power-pop formula into something more interesting, and there’s plenty of moments like it throughout the album.
In terms of sound, I also enjoy the detours that the band takes. “Doomsday” is a fuzzy one minute punk romp reminiscent of acts like “Bowling for Soup” and “Blink 182”. “Slogging Through Summer” is another banger. a surfy, fuzzy and twangy song filled with dread for an upcoming summer, where a friend of yours is planning to move away.
All of these emotions develop into a resolution in closing track “In My Very Old Age”, where Scottoline finds a wider perspective, accepting the experiences he’s been through with exuberant melodies and bright fuzzy riffs. A satisfying end that leaves the record in high spirits.
