First Listenings: Natural History, Troubled Hubble

By Erica Fitchett
Staff Writer

Simple yet catchy, The Natural History’s debut offers a unique, ’80s rock sound that becomes utterly addictive.
With a mere five songs on the album, you are only  able to get a little taste of what The Natural History’s sound is all about, but it’s enough. With rather simple lyrics and basic guitar riffs, they are definitely not a band you would turn to for intellectual stimulation.  Their sound, however, is fun and has a lot of potential.
Getting started in early 2001, Max Tepper (vocals and guitar) and Derek Vockins (drums) decided to make a shift from their dabbles in post-math rock to create something with a little more melody. They recruited Max’s brother Julian Tepper to play bass guitar and began the formation of The Natural History.
Shortly after their creation, Natural History found themselves touring all across the United States, playing as many shows as they could fit into their hectic schedule.  Several months later, they recorded their self-titled debut.
The first track, “Telling Lies Will Get You No Where,” is bound to  have your head bobbing. A very elementary cymbal beat repeats in the background while Tepper’s slightly scratchy voice chimes in. It’s the kind of sound that would have an audience jumping up and down.
“So He’ll Say” has a more mellow sound. Tepper’s somewhat whiny vocals create a very unique sound that goes perfectly with the rhythmic guitar parts.
While this album is just the beginning for The Natural History, it’s a solid start. Their addictive sound should prove to draw in more and more listeners.

Erica Fitchett can be reached at:
Erica.Fitchett@mail.wvu.edu.

Troubled Hubble
Penturbia
Latest Flame Records
Rating: 8

Before the holiday tension even had a chance to subside, the new semester has reared its ugly head, bringing with it a whole new set of school-related worries. Not to mention that it is freezing outside. Well, the light, carefree sound of Penturbia may help ease you back into the grind.
The fun lyrics and upbeat tunes elicit images of relaxing outside on a sunny summer day.
Penturbia’s sound is, essentially, the antithesis of suburbia: rural, wide-open spaces. This is not surprising considering the band is based in the Midwest.
Troubled Hubble, indie-rock Illinois locals, have played together since 1999, releasing three previous albums, Slow Plant Entrance, The Sun Beamed Off the Name Maurice and Broken Airplanes.
The band is Josh Miller, guitar and vocals; Chris Otepka, vocals and guitar; Nate Lanthrum, drums; and Andrew Lanthrum, bass.
The album starts off strong. Track one, “Understanding Traffic,” is a clever, poppy analysis of the American highway system we all know and love.
Three of the tracks on Penturbia, “Airplanes,” “Migraines” and “I Love My Canoe,” were previously released on the band’s earlier albums.  This fact may bother some listeners, but didn’t seem to make a difference in the album’s overall effect.
The last track, “Work,” is another good one. It is not as energetic as the rest of the album, but it offers some insight: “Work when you can and when you want and everything will be fine.”
The album as a whole is exceptional. It can easily be listened to in its entirety without even cringing once.

Melinda Copp can be reached at:
Melinda.Copp@mail.wvu.edu.