Their first releases were very limited vinyl singles on various different small, indie, and some now defunct, record labels, although 555 records who released '(The) Weight' in 1998 is still alive.
In 1994, record labels Fluff and Slumberland released Hood's first full length album, entitled 'Cabled Linear Traction'. It was a landmark for the band, some still say it's their best album. It had similarities to bands like The Cure, Sonic Youth and Pavement.
The album was issued on CD in 1999 by Slumberland, who also released 1996's 'Silent 88' album. The latter was similar sounding to 'CLT', but with much more experimentation going on and far more use of electronics.
A collection of limited and rare singles was put together by Happy Go Lucky records in 1997 and released on CD and vinyl, the vinyl version coming with a free 7" record.
In 1997, Domino Record Co snapped up Hood and released the single 'Useless'. A lo-fi indie electronica affair, not too dissimilar to the aforementioned '(The) Weight' released the next year.
Around this time Chris was releasing instrumental electronic material as Downpour, often involving heavily distorted drum and bass.
After another handful of singles and eps for Domino, they released the album 'Rustic Houses, Forlorn Valleys' in 1998. A dense, dark and tension building album, sounding somewhere in between Labradford, Mogwai and Massive Attack and produced by the band and Matt Elliott from Third Eye Foundation.
A year later came 'The Cycle of Days and Seasons', once again produced by Matt Elliott. With an ever changing line up still revolving around the two brothers, the sound of the band changed yet again, moving further into indie electronics.
Colaborating with friends Doseone and Why? from the Anticon collective came Hoods 5th studio album 'Cold House' in 2001, their most well known and collectively appreciated ablum. It contained elements of Post Rock, IDM, Indie as well as Doseone and Why?'s voice and lyric talents. Features the single 'You Show No Emotion At All'. Released on Domino.
In early 2005, Hood released 'Outside Closer', an emotional journey through ambience and hip hop beats. More line up changes occured, meaning this album was yet again different to the previous. Taking influence from The Remote Viewer, Prefuse 73 and Empress (the singer of which appears on the album). The tracks 'The Lost You' and 'The Negatives' were released as singles, featuring b-sides and videos for the tracks.
Since the release of 'Outside Closer' Hood have toured with Why? promoting his new album 'Elephant Eyelash' and released various remixes.
During 2006, Gareth S Brown, who played in the aforementioned tour, has been working on a solo album, due for release in November on Richard's girlfriend's label Misplaced Pets.
Currently due for release on record label anticon, is a solo album from Hood lead singer Chris Adams under the name of Bracken. The lead single from the album, titled 'Heathens', is due out in November, the album, titled 'We Know About the Need' follows in January.
In 2007 Richard Adams formed a side project The Declining Winter which has spawned a 7" The Future Sound of Hip Hop parts 1 and 2 and an album Goodbye Minnesota.
There are no plans for any further Hood releases.
You Show No Emotion at All
Hood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into another new year
Just to cast away the ghosts
Or to have the time to again
You said hold on to dreams
But I know you don't try
Cause you're innocent I know that you won't survive
I heard the phone ring
So late at night that I
I thought someone had died
Someone had died
But your voice was full of hope
Like it was on better days
On clear mornings when the rain had left the sky
I can't stand the thought of you alone
I can't stand the thought of you alone
Don't try to get close to
Us because there's nothing
But our souls laid bare
Will we survive
I know we will
The lyrics of Hood's song "You Show No Emotion at All" depict the struggles of facing a new year while still carrying the weight of memories and disappointments from the past. The song starts with a question of whether the new year can be approached with hope and the desire to move on, or whether it will only serve to reinforce past problems. The singer seeks reassurance, but it seems that the person they're seeking it from doesn't try and doesn't have any faith. Yet the person who seems to be struggling to provide comfort to the singer calls unexpectedly full of hope, bringing an unexpected moment of joy and relief. Despite this, the singer is still unable to shake the fear of being alone while the future is as yet uncertain.
The lyrics are both melancholic and hopeful, and the contrast between the two is further emphasized by the simplistic and minimalist melody. The repetition of the statement "I can't stand the thought of you alone" emphasizes the fear of loneliness, which is at the core of the song. In contrast, the line "Will we survive, I know we will" offers an optimistic outlook that can be a source of inspiration for those who struggle to stay positive in the face of adversity.
The song can be seen as a reminder of the importance of keeping hope alive, even when life seems bleak. It highlights the complexities of human emotions, exploring the struggle between despair and hope, and the comfort that can be found in unexpected moments of joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Can we walk in hope
Is it possible for us to have optimism?
Into another new year
As time goes on, can we continue to hope?
Just to cast away the ghosts
Can we move on from past traumas and leave them behind?
Or to have the time to again
Perhaps we need more time to heal and recover.
You said hold on to dreams
You advised me to continue to hope and dream despite hardships.
But I know you don't try
But I know that you yourself have given up hope.
Cause you're innocent I know that you won't survive
Your pure and honest nature makes it hard for you to cope with harsh realities.
I heard the phone ring
My attention was drawn to the sound of my phone.
So late at night that I
It was so late that I was surprised to receive a call.
I thought someone had died
I feared the worst and assumed the call was about a death.
Someone had died
However, someone had not actually passed away.
But your voice was full of hope
Despite the late hour, you still sounded optimistic and positive.
Like it was on better days
Your tone was reminiscent of happier times.
On clear mornings when the rain had left the sky
Like the relief we feel on bright days after stormy nights.
I can't stand the thought of you alone
The idea of you being lonely brings me great emotional pain.
Don't try to get close to
It's not worth trying to connect with us.
Us because there's nothing
There's no real substance or meaning to what we have to offer.
But our souls laid bare
The only thing we can truly share is our innermost selves.
Will we survive
Despite all the hardships we face and our lack of real connection, will we manage to persevere?
I know we will
Despite all the doubt, I still believe we will come out on top.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind