Hot Fiction: Apply Within

Ever since The White Stripes arrived around a decade ago, the the truth lies carved in stone that two in a band is more than enough to create great garage-rock. And constantly reminding us of this fact in modern-day rock, are bands like Hot Fiction, from London, comprised of vocalist and drummer Andy Yeoh and guitarist Simon Miller. On their second album Apply Within, we see the duo expands upon the formulas of the garage-blues genre, offering us, in the process, a stunningly original style and sound.

Hot Fiction decides to split Apply Within into two sonic halves; the first five tracks are raw and straightforward, mostly driven by guitar riffs, while the other five are mellow ballads that put mood and melody above all else. But in whatever they do, the duo’s rich blend of blues and soul deeply pervades every moment of the music. Though they build upon the blueprints of the White Stripes and the Black Keys, their sound shares more in common with the raging vitality of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. Listeners may also find themselves specially charmed by Andy’s passionate vocal performances on each track.

Favorite Track: No Soul, Old News, Moral Compass, Gotta Go

Track List
1. Body Barely Touching Mine 03:15
2. No Soul 04:13
3. Old News 02:57
4. Harder Than Before 05:17
5. Moral Compass 03:40
6. Gotta Go 05:23
7. Broken In A Good Way 04:19
8. Sweet Goodbye 05:31
9. You’re Not Alone 03:03
10. Manner Of Travelling 04:26