HIJK The Pen And The Letter by: Tom Bradbury Tue:11-Dec-07 Label: Year: 2007 WB rating 60 out of 100

It is an unfortunate reality that most bands do not have the means to pull off their musical ambitions, however remarkable they may be. Some may never have access to the right equipment, others may just not be able to find the musicians they want. Many just don’t have the necessary insight or intuitiveness, as is the case with Oakland, California band HIJK. Their new album, The Pen And The Letter, is full of said ambition, but they simply do not have the melodic instincts to achieve it or to rise above their catalogue of influences. 

Despite what their press packet may claim, HIJK sound a lot more like a late 90s punk band with an experimental edge than they do Modest Mouse or Bloc Party. In some ways they remind more of a quirky, indie version of pop punkers Finch – mainly due to the singer’s similar vocal timbre, but also due to similar song structures. Yet while it is true that all bands are influenced by somebody, very few influence others, and I don’t imagine that in five years time many bands are going to be saying that they were influenced by HIJK. 

If there is one reason for why HIJK will probably not be remembered, it is that their songs very much feel like creations. When you listen to them you are very much aware of the fact that a lot of effort was put in - they don’t come off naturally at all. Great music doesn’t reveal all its cards, its leaves you wondering, how did they come up with that? People may try and copy it but they’ll never manage to do so because the element of mystery is unidentifiable. With HIJK it is all to clear what they are trying to do, the creative process sometimes more prominent than the actual songs themselves. It’s almost as if their music is inside out, like when you put a shirt on the wrong way and everyone can see the stitching. It’s a shame because HIJK are trying so hard, and a sense of earnestness pervades the entire album (which may be their problem). 

A lot of The Pen And The Letter feels forced. For instance, the a cappella vocal refrain at the end of ‘Whistle While You Work’ falls flat, partly because nobody in the band really has the vocal talents to justify such an exercise, but also because there is such an air of focus – everybody concentrating so hard – that you can’t help but cringe a bit. Likewise, ‘The Center of Things’ goes for a big chorus but doesn’t reach the heights that it shoots for. 

It’s not all band news though. Sometimes there is a glimpse of HIJK actually achieving what they set out to do. ‘Smells Like Cigarettes’ is far more successful than the preceding  ‘Whistle While You Work’, perhaps because they are not trying for as much – there is a distinctively more casual sound to it, right down to the easy jazz horns. The extremely Death Cab ‘Writer’s Block’ also comes off very well indeed, again because there is a less stressed feel to it. When HIJK are more relaxed then there is a fair chance the listener is more relaxed as well. 

If there is a lesson to be learned from The Pen And The Letter, it’s that if you try for something really big and fail, you end up with egg on your face. But HIJK shouldn’t be criticized for trying – maybe one day they will achieve their musical vision. A lack of effort certainly won’t be a problem.