Reviews: Animal Parts and The Hippy Nuts

Animal Parts is a more parts of emo country, singer/song writer, and folk than of any actual animals.

Joshua Cockerill is the lead in this band, and these songs are about him and feel a bit too personal for me. It feels like you are listening to a angst-ey kid's mix-tape that he gave to a girl he likes. At times, it's like reading a personal journal of someone who just wants to be loved. It's like going through the motions of a romantic film, but you're watching it from a bush outside of a house.

There are no surprises here, no lyrics that need to be deciphered, no metaphors too difficult to understand. It is clear cut, the type of CD you'll listen to after you get dumped. As a person that has no emotional connection with this band, or am I going through any hardships as of late, it's a hard listen. I just want to tell the dude, "Quit crying and get over it!!!"

It's hard to pick out a stand out track as well, because the CD works as a whole unit of emo folk story. If you want a taste I would suggest "King of Kings" as the single. Production wise, it's clean and the emotions come through.

Canadian band Animal Parts' is currently on tour in support of their self-titled EP, which is available now via Hungry Music.

10.05 Chicago, IL @ Bird's Nest 10.07 Indianapolis, IN @ Indy's Jukebox 10.09 Louisville, KY @ Highlands Taproom 10.10 Bloomington, IN @ Bear's Place 10.12 Nashville, TN @ National Underground 10.13 Carrboro, NC @ The Station 10.17 Wilmington, NC @ Satellite Lounge 10.18 Asheville, NC @ Root Bar 10.23 Stroudsburg, PA @ Sarah St. Grill

10.24 Baltimore, MD @ Joe Squared Station North 10.25 New York, NY @ Googie's Lounge 10.26 Pittsburg, PA @ Hambone's Pub 11.01 Seattle, WA @ Skylark Café & Club 11.02 Portland, OR @ Ella St. Social Club 11.07 Fort Worth, TX @ The Basement Bar 11.13 Austin, TX @ Beale St. Tavern 11.15 Houston, TX @ The Mink Bar

The Hippy Nuts are a soulful bluesy rock and roll and almost jazzy country band. If any of those genres are something you're looking for in music, then you know what you're getting into.

Hippy Nuts are not, I repeat, are not hippies. They are the definition of "Bar Band" or "House Band," the kind of music you'll see while drinking at you local watering hole.

Production wise on their latest album, I Feel Lucky Tonight, is what you expect from this style of music; no surprises, just a lot of soul.

What's best known about this band is Tim Champion's handmade guitar pedals. With his tinkering you can sense a jazz and soul distortion sound that Tim has perfected. The sound of the band is a blast from the past, which is where they want to be.

You won't see the kids with high top shoes, skinny jeans, and a carabineer with a janitor sized jumble of keys getting into this… possibly the parents of these youngsters, or hipster's getting it ironically.

The Hippy Nuts' I Feel Lucky Tonight is available now via Sandpile Records.