Anatomically, the hippocampus is the portion of the brain primarily associated with memory. Musically, Hippo Campus is a Minnesota band making the right moves to cause listeners to take notice and remember. Their song “Little Grace” is a good example.
“Little Grace” is melodically light, which provides a contrast to the dark early message – “your heart is black and mine is so green.” It takes less than ten seconds to identify Hippo Campus as a band with a preference for the clear guitar sound and with an ability to deliver crisp, quick-paced guitar play from more than one member. As the song progresses, the preference for crispness and a quick pace is apparent in the vocals as well, particularly during the repeating line “Save a little grace for.”
To give names to the skills, the members of Hippo Campus are Jake Luppen (vocals), Nathan Stocker (guitar), Zach Sutton(bass) and Whistler Allen (drums). The age range of the members is about 18-20 and the band has been together since only 2013, so it’s very possible that they are still developing and perfecting their sound. Hippo Campus is based in Woodbury, Minnesota, a suburb in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Listening to the EP “Bashful Creatures,” each of the six songs is charged with energizing guitar riffs and syllable-punctuated vocalization. Following “Little Grace,” our recommended listen is “Souls,” but good arguments can be presented for all the other songs.
“Little Grace” by Hippo Campus
Lyrics of “Little Grace”
I cannot tell what you claim to see
That your heart is black and mine is so green
Jealousy is men, someday you'll see
Oh oh, ya know oh, ya know oh, ya know
You cry out, Eliza, you scream and you moan
You're sick of this joyride, you want to find home
Adulthood has found, you scared and alone
Talk to me, talk to me, talk to me, talk
Art school girl with ignorant bliss
Peace, weed, cocaine, and mushrooms and shit
Will bring peace on earth, someday you'll see it
Talk to me, talk to me, talk to me, talk
They're just pictures trapped inside of your head
Oh, they're just pictures trapped inside of your head
Of your head
Oh, they're just pictures trapped inside of your head
Oh, they're just pictures trapped inside of your head
Save a little grace for
(repeat…)
Art school girl with ignorant bliss
Peace, weed, cocaine, and mushrooms and shit
Will bring peace on earth, someday you'll see it
Talk to me, talk to me, talk to me, talk
“Souls” by Hippo Campus
Following their performances at SXSW, Hippo Campus teams with Fences and The Mowgli’s on a tour that begins and ends in California. The first stop is at The Independent in San Francisco.
3/25: San Francisco, CA - The Independent - For Tickets, CLICK HERE
3/27: Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
3/28: Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
3/29: Vancouver, BC - Media Club
3/31: Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court Gallery
4/1: Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre
4/2: Kansas City, MO - The Midland
4/4: Chicago, IL - Metro
4/6: St. Louis, MO - The Ready Room
4/7: Columbus, OH - The A&R Music Bar
4/8: Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe
4/9: Detroit, MI - Shelter
4/10: Toronto, ON - The Garrison
4/11: Montreal, QC - La Vitrola
4/14: Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
4/15: Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
4/16: New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
4/17: Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
4/18: Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall
4/21: Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
4/23: Tallahassee, FL - Florida State University
4/24: Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
4/25: Orlando, FL - The Social
4/26: Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits
4/30: Dallas, TX - House of Blues Cambridge Room
5/1: Austin, TX - The Parish
5/2: Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's Downstairs
5/5: Phoenix, AZ - The Crescent Ballroom
5/7: San Diego, CA - The Casbah
5/8: Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theatre
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