Hymie's Basement is the joint project of cLOUDDEAD's Why? (aka Yoni Wolf) and Andrew Broder (aka Ninja Tune artist Fog). If you believe the myth, the partnership arose almost spontaneously during a troglodytic retreat over a heady cocktail of Veggie Booty and tofu sandwiches. Mutual veganism, of course, has begat many a hallowed relationship, and in this case, it resulted in a musical collaboration conceived in the basement of the now-folkloric Minneapolis record store Hymie's, which is co-owned by Broder's wife. Unsurprisingly, the result retains the atmospheric esoterica of cLOUDDEAD and the candid quirkiness of Broder's Fog releases, yet also features an interesting and unique interplay.
Unlike many two-man collaborative efforts, ego and testosterone are mostly left out of the equation on Hymie's Basement, replaced by misanthropy and self-deprecation. And while suburban ennui and disjointed American ideology sit at the heart of the duo's concerns, there are even yet more introspective and emotional facets to their sound. There's also a lot of almost indecipherable esoterica that ratifies their automatic work ethos. "Ghost Dream" kicks off with a monotonous deadpan delivery that recalls Beck circa Mellow Gold (think "Soul Suckin' Jerk") in its stream-of-consciousness babble, but its killer scratch-beats and beautifully frail piano render its unintelligible lyrics poignant and melodious.
Along with "Pretty Colors (Smile Your Brains Out)" and "You Die", "21st Century Pop Song" was recorded after the original basement sessions as a means of gathering enough material to fill out the album. The track benefited from a little distance, and both its mood and subject matter make it the perfect opener for the record. Here, the pair merge slick hip-hop production tricks with indie guitar riffing to overlapping vocals that tackle ideological cynicism, the futility of mundane existence, and atomic bomb survival tactics. Lines like, "You put your life in the hands of the highway designers/ Your stride and unforeseen side effect/ Of the urban planner's realized blueprint dream," express feelings of marginalization and impotence. The song's melodic chorus ("It's root root root for the home team") ties the awkward verses together and shows a strong pop sensibility that continually rears its head over the course of the record.
"Props to Ornette Coleman/ For trying to castrate himself/ Males of the world you are despicable," sings Broder over a rolling piano and Wolf's poised harmonies on "America Too". Forming a silly pun partnership with "America Won", these tracks-- sad and angry, respectively-- depict a perception of the modern American male in bitter isolation while echoing the post 9/11 sense of ineffectuality. Both Wolf and Broder excel at offbeat observations that sit happily alongside innovative instrumentals. The band's official website asks us to notice a "nervous energy" between the two on their first co-written track, "All Them Boys", but for me, the whole record reflects a basic unease and trepidation-- between the artists themselves and the male gender, which they seem to despise.
Elsewhere, "The Pump" is a superior riposte to the baffling contradictions of the human condition, especially as it's juxtaposed with the magic of the transient moment. "Moonhead" captures wide-eyed creepiness of a Tim Burton short story with the postured, thousand-yard stare feeling of Sigur Rós. "Parrots" starts like Leonard Cohen's "The Future" set to the bossanova rhythm preset of a thrift-shop keyboard before lurching feverishly into a brooding, nightmarish rap. One of many stylistic departures, "Ben and Joey", staggers through They Might Be Giants territory. Although the words sometimes evade total comprehension here, the duo's constant revision and development of their sound keeps the album fizzing with originality and unsettling charm.
cLOUDDEAD and Fog are hefty legacies to follow, but Hymie's Basement comes up with the goods and then some. The partnership has coaxed the edgier, darker sides of Wolf out to mingle with Broder's naiveté and surrealist monologues. Thematically, the record has a unity that suggests a long-term alliance but the vibrant arrangements buzz with the exhilaration of a new relationship. It leaves you exhausted, fulfilled and with plenty to think about-- not least being whether a second Hymie's Basement project could be in the pipeline.
