Upcoming: HITS at Mercury Lounge, 6/2

HITS

Thursday, June 2

Mercury Lounge

217 E Houston Street

New York, NY

Doors: 9:30PM

Tickets: $10

21+

Upcoming: HITS at Cameo Gallery TOMORROW, 3/8

This is happening…

HITS

Heymoonshaker / Syvia

Saturday, March 8

Cameo Gallery

93 N 6th Street

Brooklyn, NY

Doors: 8PM

Tickets: $8 adv / $10 dos

21+

...you should definitely go!

Upcoming: HITS at Mercury Lounge on 12/4

HITS

Chainwave / Faulkner

Wednesday, December 4

Mercury Lounge

217 E Houston Street

New York, NY

Doors: 8:30PM

Tickets: $10

21+

If I Dropped By… with Louis Epstein of HITS

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you decided to be random and drop by a musician’s home? No?  Well, I have.  So, I posed my, "If I Dropped By..." question to HITS frontman, Louis Epstein.  This is what I learned about my host when I paid a hypothetical visit to his home.

Quirky NY Chick (QNYC): ... and brought a friend who didn't know your music, what song of yours would you play for them and why?

Louis Epstein (LE): I'd casually play well-known songs from bands like The Talking Heads and Talk Talk and Tom Waits who just talks sometimes, while I slipped in a HITS song here and there, so when it stood out, they'd say, "Wait. Who's this?" I could say, "What this? Oh weird this is actually MY band. Why? Do you like it?"
 

Upcoming: HITS at Mercury Lounge, 1/31 + New Video

New York, your Thursday to-do list should include a trip down to Mercury Lounge to catch HITS.  They're on the road with Gemini Club doing that thing they do so well.  

Thursday, January 31, doors are at 9:30PM and it'll cost you $10 advance / $12 dos providing you're 21 and over.

To whet your appetite check out the new video from HITS.  It's for the song "Madness" from their highly recommended, self-titled EP.  Enjoy the goodness below.




Tour Dates w/Gemini Club

• 1/29 Middle East - Boston, MA
• 1/31 Mercury Lounge - New York, NY
• 2/1 Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA
• 2/3 The Black Cat - Washington, DC

Upcoming: HITS at Mercury Lounge, 12/19

This is happening ... 

 ... and you should go. 

HITS Releases Debut EP

New York based HITS (formerly Jump Into The Gospel) released their debut self-titled EP last week.

HITS is a tight piece of work.  The songs are overall more polished while the band maintains the natural charm and fun of their previous incarnation. The album is reminiscent of mid-80's dance pop and tend to get stuck in your head forcing you to put them on repeat. 

The wickedly wonderful "St. John" has been a longtime favorite from their live shows.  The recorded version is less funky and more pop but maintains its infectious dance quality and bad ass bass groove of their live performances. The catchy "Singularity" stands as the commercial appeal track and has great potential in the licensing world. 

On "Twin Peaks" first of all, is that even vocalist Louis Epstein singing?!  The vocals on the album sound strong and more confident in general.  But, on this low key, dreamy sounding track, the confidence particularly shines through in the deeper, richer tone.  Somewhere out there, teens in angst are declaring this their song.

After several listens, I have decided that "Madness" is possibly one of the sexiest songs of the summer in a geek girl love fest sort of way.  It makes me feel like I should be at this very moment lusting over some slightly odd, vaguely nerdy guy with a somewhat weird view on love. 

If I have any complaints about the EP, it would be as a fan of guitars, they're a little too tucked away in the mix for my personal tastes ... more of guitarist Ben Vescovi please and thank you.  And, a live favorite, "Start A Following" didn't crossover into their new world.

Get on board with this album and band.  They are ready to take their star turn and you don't want to be the only person to miss the boat.

GIG ALERT!!!  HITS will be at Pianos on Saturday, July 21.  They go on at 9PM and it will cost you $10.

You can listen to and buy the EP using the handy widget below.

HITS Set To Release New Record + NY Shows

Hits, the band formerly known as Jump Into The Gospel, are set to release their new self-titled EP on June 26.  I've given the track "Madness" a spin several times (listen to it at the bottom of the post).  The song is certainly the most polished I've heard them.  They sound tighter and the production more lush.  The song has a throwback sound to it that reminded me of perhaps Howard Jones... maybe a bit like Simple Minds.  I like the song.  I don't like the flashbacks it induces though.  I'd rather not be reminded of big hair, ridiculous make-up and silly clothes.  But, I'm looking forward to hearing the new album...June feels so far away.

Set for release June 26th, the self-titled EP culminates HITS' major changes, commitments, and five months of studio-time into what has become their tightest material to date. The songs form a throwback 80s electro-synth sound with a contemporary feel only the year 2012 could allow.  The new EP, produced and mixed with a little help from their friends, Cobra Starship, swings from high energy dance songs like "Veins" and "St. John" to the thoughtful musings on isolation in "Twin Peaks" and the skewed vision of love in "Madness."

GIG ALERT!!!  New York, Hits will be playing a series of shows!  Friday, May 11 they'll be at the Knitting Factory over in Brooklyn; doors are at 7PM and it'll cost you $12.  On Tuesday, May 15 they'll be on the LES at Mercury Lounge; doors are at 8:30PM and it'll cost you $10.  And, on Sunday, May 27, they'll be over in Brooklyn at Cameo Gallery.  Go to a show or three and show them some love.

   MADNESS (Single) by HITSNYC