CD Review
Artist: Hilotrons
Title: Happymatic
Label:  Kelp Records
Publicity: Killbeat Music
Released: April 1^st 2008

3 Stars  

Reviewed By: Christopher Williams

Wow, the Hilotrons remind me of my Madness days! Not the asylum days, but the Madness of the early 1980s with ‘Our House' as a big hit....that Madness. The Hilotrons are a band from Ottawa that formed in 2002 and with their third album Happymatic, they seem to have honed a style reminiscent of something directly from twenty five years past.  

Not replicated, but authentically 80s, Hilotrons will have you diving into the back of your closet for your Pet Shop Boys tape, and your grey suit smartly paired with white shoes. The good news is that you might still have that mullet for the boys and blue eye shadow for the girls...as some people seem to have never left the 80s. It is this genuine authenticity of the 80s that makes Hilotrons so great as they aren't ‘inspired by' and the ‘influences are,' they simply are a band from the music of the 80s in present day.

The first few songs ‘Lost In Yichang,' ‘Streets Of Science' and ‘Dominika' are from that manic jarring pop-punk that defined the edgier 80s man. ‘Teen Dreams' at the end of Happymatic is a great track that is slower in style but with a great electric guitar twang to it. ‘Feet First' seemed to be the only real track that differentiated itself from the rest of the album which showed great diversity with some catchy trumpet, bongos, and Telstar type guitar; like a Spanish siesta meets Goldfinger. It was delicious! Easily my favourite track, but nicely implemented as you wouldn't want a whole album in the same vein as ‘Feet First.' The track was just enough to show that the Hilotrons have diversity. 

Sometimes we dip our feet into ‘Golden Agery' and romanticize the past. Truly, honestly though, what woman misses those shoulder pads? I think Happymatic is a happy medium, as you can indulge in the past and not have to dust off the tape recorder. Max Hedron would be so proud.  
 

Lost In Yichang
Streets Of Science
Dominika
Lovesuit
Deep River
Emergency Street
Caught On Video
Girls
Comrade Elvis
Big Plans
Feet First
I'm A Parade
Teen Dreams