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.
I Can't Find My Brittle Youth
Hood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
is it strong enough to hold on to?
just try it anyway
can’t let the years (without you know)
sometimes it’s just so hard
to find something that inspires you
your anger and hope
you said how you hated days that end so soon
cause it makes your life slip away
and move so fast to old age
you didn’t you didn’t you didn’t wait
oh god i feel life slip away
it ends so soon, so grab it today
why you can’t seize the day
why you can’t seize the day
The lyrics of Hood's song "I Can't Find My Brittle Youth" convey a sense of loss and desperation as the singer reflects on the passing of time and the dwindling of opportunities. The opening line, "I can't find my brittle youth," suggests that the singer is struggling to hold on to a sense of vitality and energy that once defined them. The repeated question, "Is it strong enough to hold on to?" emphasizes the fragility of youth and the fear of losing it.
The next lines, "Just try it anyway / Can't let the years (without you know)," encourage the listener to keep striving and reaching for something meaningful, even in the face of uncertainty and doubt. The imagery of searching for something that inspires is reinforced in the following lines, "Sometimes it's just so hard / To find something that inspires you."
The lines "Your anger and hope / Did you leave these things behind?" speak to the idea that as we age, we may lose the fire and passion that once drove us. The reference to hating days that end so soon suggests a fear of mortality and a sense that life is slipping away too quickly. The final refrain, "Why you can't seize the day," is a call to action, a plea to embrace life while we still can.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Can't Find My Brittle Youth" convey a sense of urgency and a desire to hold on to the things that matter most in life. The singer acknowledges the passing of time and the difficulties of staying motivated and inspired, but ultimately encourages the listener to keep searching and seizing the day.
Line by Line Meaning
i can’t find my brittle youth
I am struggling to rediscover the fragility and vulnerability of my youth.
is it strong enough to hold on to?
I question whether my youth was a sturdy foundation to build my life upon.
just try it anyway
Despite my doubts, I will still make an effort to find my way back to my youthful self.
can’t let the years (without you know)
I cannot let the time that has passed without any progress control my future.
sometimes it’s just so hard
Sometimes it's tough to find inspiration and motivation in life.
to find something that inspires you
It's a challenging task to find something that sparks my passion and drives me forward.
your anger and hope
I wonder if I have lost the fueled rage and optimism that once fueled me.
did you leave these things behind?
I question myself about whether I have abandoned my feelings of anger and hope.
you said how you hated days that end so soon
You expressed your displeasure with how quickly time passes and slips away.
cause it makes your life slip away
The swift passage of time feels like I am losing parts of my life to the inevitability of aging and death.
and move so fast to old age
The rapid pace of life feels like I'm aging too quickly.
you didn’t you didn’t you didn’t wait
You lived your life without procrastination, not waiting for anything to happen.
oh god i feel life slip away
I am overwhelmed by the sensation of time slipping through my fingers.
it ends so soon, so grab it today
Life is short, so it's essential to make the most of the present moment.
why you can’t seize the day
I question why I am unable to take advantage of this opportunity.
why you can’t seize the day
I question why I am unable to take advantage of this opportunity.
Contributed by Addison H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.