Hoods Up - 'Arms Still Open' CD{Refuse Records}
To be honest, this CD was sent to me for a review almost a year ago and was stagnating in the huge pile of records I have to review for this blog and/or Keep It Real fanzine...A couple of days ago, Robert Refuse Records sent me a bunch of Birds Of A Feather new CDs for my distro and put in the package a Hoods Up copy, too.
So, it's time for this CD to get a decent review, don't you think so?!
By the way, Hoods Up quitted playing since last March and as far as I know they do not exist as a band anymore ... That's really sad, because 'Arms Still Open' is a great record and I dare to say that the European straight edge hardcore scene is already missing one of the most promising bands...
'Arms Still Open' is the debut CD for this German band (they come from Hamburg) and includes 12 songs in total, featuring all 6 songs of their 'Arms Still Open' 7" (released by Commitment Records), plus their songs of their "Hamburg City Straight Edge Demo 2006" tape.
The 7" songs have a very cool production as they were recorded in the legendary Bunt Studios in Holland by the infamous producer Menno Bakker.
The demo songs are a bit rawer, but cool, as well. There's a cover, too; "Nothing Can Compare", originally edited by Hands Tied.
Hoods Up's style can't be anything else than straight edge, youth crew hardcore, not unlike Youth Of Today, Gorilla Biscuits, The First Step, In My Eyes and other classic bands of the SXE scene.
The lyrics are very thought provoking, related to social, political and scene issues.
Hoods Up stand strong for the whole animal rights / straight edge and antifascist movement.
It's really sad that they broke up...
P.S. By the way, the CD was released by the honest Polish label, Refuse Records, every release of its is a must for all hardcore kids. Robert does a great work. Word.
http://www.myspace.com/xhoodsupx
http://www.refuserecords.prv.pl
