ALBUM REVIEW: The Heights - Knox Hamilton

The Heights - Knox Hamilton

In January 2022, I set out on a mission to listen to a new album every single week. I was so excited to discover so much new music. I asked friends and family for their favorites. I made lists and calendars and plans of how I was going to do this. I was a woman on a mission, and nothing was going to stop me!

I failed.

I wish there was some big, elaborate reason why I didn't accomplish what I set out to do (my Spotify Premium subscription got cut off, there was a ban on listening to albums, aliens took over the world, etc.), but the truth is I just forgot. I listened to two albums, and then completely forgot about this goal until October, when I found the list of people's favorites. I decided that in 2023, I was actually going to do it. I was actually going to listen, rate, and review a new album every week. Now, almost two weeks into 2023, I haven't forgotten about this goal (yet).

I wanted to start my Year of Albums with an artist I had never heard before. I searched for hours to find something, and eventually stumbled upon The Heights by Knox Hamilton. Clocking in at thirteen songs and just under 45 minutes, it was the perfect album to start off with.

Okay, enough fluff, let's get into the details.

BACKGROUND

Released in March 2017, The Heights is the only studio album from three-piece Knox Hamilton. They've released one EP and a few singles since, but The Heights is their only full album.

Knox Hamilton has a sound comparable to COIN on their self-titled debut album, early Colony House records, and Utah-based BROTHER. If you want to be instantly transported back to the days when "Anna Sun" by WALK THE MOON ran the planet, turn on this Knox Hamilton record.

OVERALL SCORE: 6.23

This album wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite. There are definitely some shining moments ("Set It on Fire", "How's Your Mind", "Pretty Way to Fight"), but there are also quite a few downfalls.

THE GOOD

GREAT GUITAR RIFFS

There's a full, groovy guitar throughout the whole album that I really enjoyed. Honestly, the guitar is kind of the glue that holds the whole thing together. It's one of the only consistent things on the record.

SONGS MADE TO BE PERFORMED LIVE

Listen to tracks like "Call Me Up", "Set It on Fire", and "We Get Back" and try to tell me you can't picture yourself in a venue jumping and dancing and singing to them. At least, that's what I picture myself doing.

THE BAD

SOME... INTERESTING CHOICES

The chimes on "Never My Love" and the horns in "Barely Missed You" nearly made me stop listening. Not even the solid guitar could redeem the other production choices on the back half of the album.

NO SENSE OF IDENTITY

As mentioned earlier, the sound of this album reminded me of early COIN and Colony House, as well as WALK THE MOON and BROTHER. However, all of those bands have identities. When you listen to a COIN record, you know that they know who they are. On this record, it feels like Knox Hamilton is trying to do that, but they don't know how.

THE LAST THOUGHTS

The first half of this album is really, really good. However, after "Work It Out", it falls flat. Despite a groovy guitar and pretty good vocals throughout, random production choices overshadow the positives on the B side of the record.

Knox Hamilton is striving to be... well, we don't really know. They are searching for an identity, and it's obvious on this record. Are they trying to be the next Colony House? Are they channeling a West Coast, surf-rock sound? We can't know until they know, and they don't quite know on this record. Unfortunately, we leave this record with more questions than answers.