Youthful Poignancy

Minnesota indie rock quartet Hippo Campus's anticipated debut album landmark (2016) will not be out until 24 February, but fans will rejoice in the release of their third track from the album (after "boyish" and "monsoon"): "way it goes". It echoes the themes of maturity, hope and personal growth that has characterized their previous work, while consistently delivering pristinely emotive tracks with every falsetto, guitar line, reverb, drum beat and melody perfectly in place. 

Their latest track amounts to yet another poignant and bittersweet meditation on growing up and learning to accept that the glass of life is partly filled and partly empty:

'That's the way it goesThat's the way it goesIt's so satisfyingYeahThat's the way it goesThat's the way it goesOne step away from crying'

Lyrics: Genius

While their vocal harmonies glisten during the chorus, their precocious lyrical talents shine through in the track's verses - presenting their signature juxtaposition of youthful carefreeness with world-weary wisdom:

'Wisconsin pines, collaborating with the day glow vibesAn altruistic breed of travel guideIt's chill, but lord knows you're tryingZombie kids love to hear that easyGoing shitGrab a guitar andJust moaning shitIt's coolBut Lord knows you're tryingYou put your records onExclusively the old pavement onesA 90's soul with Doc Martens onA step, a step away from cryingDegenerate, counter-culture, crying socialistHip-to-lazed crazed abstractionistsWe're weird, but Lord knows we're trying'

Given that the quartet - guitarist and vocalist Jake Luppen, guitarist Nathan Stocker, bassist Zach Sutton and drummer Whistler Allen - are only in their early 20s and already producing such polished work, one can be hopeful that these Minneapolis hometown heroes will soon carve themselves into the national consciousness. After all, who doesn't love an underdog success story?