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.
Enemy of Time
Hood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The violent undertones of night
I feel so lifeless sometimes
I searched the bed a night ago
Oh, I can't cope with the brutality of life
You know that I wish for change
If you could see the look upon your face
It's holding me down
The season's chained
Oh, we should leave this place now
The lyrics of Hood's song "Enemy of Time" display a sense of existential dread and hopelessness. The opening line, "We've made an enemy of time," implies that time has become something to be feared and fought against rather than a natural aspect of life. The "violent undertones of night" and the feeling of being "lifeless sometimes" suggest that the singer is struggling with depression or a general lack of purpose. The line "I can't cope with the brutality of life" reinforces this feeling of being overwhelmed.
The singer seems to be searching for something to give them hope or a reason to keep going. They mention searching the bed "a night ago," which could imply they were looking for something lost or forgotten, perhaps a memory or a sense of purpose. The line "If you could see the look upon your face" could be interpreted as the singer addressing themselves, as if they are seeing their own despair reflected back at them.
The imagery of "migrating birds of war" and the "season's chained" suggest a sense of being trapped or confined, as if the difficulties they face are cyclical and unending. The final line, "Oh, we should leave this place now" implies a desire to escape these feelings and find a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
We've made an enemy of time
We have turned time into our foe, as it constantly ticks away, reminding us of our mortality and limited time on earth.
The violent undertones of night
The silence and darkness of night can be unsettling and make us feel uneasy, as if something dangerous may occur.
I feel so lifeless sometimes
Occasionally, I feel devoid of energy and enthusiasm, as if I am just going through the motions of living without truly experiencing life.
I searched the bed a night ago
I looked for something in my bed the other night, perhaps searching for comfort or solace in the confines of my own sleeping space.
Oh, I can't cope with the brutality of life
I am struggling to deal with the harsh reality of existence, which can be cruel and unforgiving at times.
You know that I wish for change
You are aware that I desire something different, something better than my current circumstances, and I am hopeful for a positive transformation.
If you could see the look upon your face
If only you could observe the expression on your own countenance, perhaps you could understand the impact of your words or actions on others.
It's holding me down
Something is weighing heavily on me, preventing me from moving forward or making progress.
Migrating birds of war
Referring to the idea of birds symbolizing freedom, these birds represent the constant movement and struggle of conflict, as if there is no escape from war and strife.
The season's chained
The passage of time is controlled and restricted, as if bound to a specific cycle or pattern that cannot be broken or altered.
Oh, we should leave this place now
We need to depart from our current situation or environment, as it is no longer benefiting us and may even be causing harm.
Contributed by Aaliyah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.