Good Good Desperation

Fans of The Beach Boys’ late-'60s concept album Smile will notice an immediate nod to that album’s opening song, “Our Prayer,” in “Preamble (Pt. II),” the introductory track to this 2009 LP from the New York band Hopewell. Much like “Our Prayer,” "Preamble" starts with four-part harmonies singing wordless aahs and oohs, sounding like a surfer’s gospel hymn. But where Brian Wilson and company followed this with sunny psychedelic pop, Hopewell drops heavy sonic hammers. Pummeling drums, bludgeoning bass, and meaty guitar riffs suddenly swirl into a stormy thunder that has more in common with Meddle-era Pink Floyd than The Beach Boys. This seamlessly segues into “Island,” a timeless-sounding space-rock jam built on a foundation of rumbling rhythms and growling bass tones. Over this, Hopewell layers fuzz-cranked guitar leads and reverb-slathered vocal howls that hark back to early Hawkwind recordings. Although “Good Good Good Desperation” further references the ”Good, good, good vibrations" refrain in The Beach Boys’ most recognizable hit, Hopewell's track shares rock DNA with harder ‘60s freakbeat like The Creation.