The Hoosiers - The Secret Service

You remember the blissful world of 2007 – a world where Harry Potter was ending, iPhones were beginning and somewhere in the middle the Hoosiers were topping the charts with their strain of quirky, nerdy, pop rock. Eight years down the line and they may not be hitting those number ones like they used to but the Hoosiers are alive and kicking, latest record The Secret Service capturing this eccentric energy beautifully. Dazzling from the very beginning, opener Pristine sets the tone of the album perfectly. Coupling creamy vocals with tangy guitar licks, it may seem sophisticated to an untrained eye but maintains subtle hints of the Hoosiers’ devilish charm underneath. Lead single The Wheels Fell Off follows, laden with punchy hooks and jazzy solos. Later, The Most Peculiar Day of Your Life entices and enthrals like a mysterious woman in the corner of a smoky bar, and Runs in the Family sees frontman Irwin Sparkes croon and call in angsty uncertainty. (Don’t Make) Eye Contact is a beautiful acoustic track, echoing the stripped-back, low budget nature of the album and closer (My) Secret Service is similar, ending the record on a soft spoken but considered note.It’s no Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but The Secret Service is a definite sign that the Hoosiers are still in the game.