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.
Lines Low to Frozen Ground
Hood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I read your tear-stained words
You said you can't live this way
How you want to be free
And you just tried to hold on
It's what you told yourself
Your shoulders are weak
Promise me that you'll remember this day
Just to reach to you and say
That there's places in this world
Like the bleakest northern light
Frozen ground beneath your feet
Where you can be free
Where you can be free
In "Lines Low to Frozen Ground," Hood sings about the feeling of being trapped and the desire to break free from a difficult situation. The song talks about receiving a message from someone, possibly a lover or a friend, who is struggling and feeling weighed down, wishing for a way out. The lyrics speak to the idea that people often hold onto situations, even if they are causing them pain or discomfort, because it’s what they know and fear the unknown. The song is an empowering message to the listener to take action, promising them that there are places in the world where they can be free and happy again, much like the beauty and peace found in the northern lights and frozen ground beneath one's feet, symbolizing a new horizon and everything that's yet to be discovered and experienced in life.
Line by Line Meaning
By the coldest sea
In the presence of the most frigid sea
I read your tear-stained words
I perused your tear-soaked correspondence
You said you can't live this way
You mentioned that you cannot tolerate this type of living
How you want to be free
Your longing to be independent
And you just tried to hold on
But you just attempted to persevere
It's what you told yourself
It's the affirmation you repeated to yourself
Your shoulders are weak
Your shoulders are fragile
It's hard to carry this weight
It's arduous to bear this burden
Promise me that you'll remember this day
Assure me that you won't forget this momentous day
Just to reach to you and say
Just to extend to you and declare
That there's places in this world
That there exist locations on this planet
Like the bleakest northern light
Such as the most dismal northern lights
Frozen ground beneath your feet
Ground that's frozen under your feet
Where you can be free
Where you can be autonomous
Where you can be free
Where you can be independent
Contributed by Dominic C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.