THE HONG KONG, the one time mystery band from New Orleans that newly regrouped in Brooklyn, combines a unique mixture of straight ahead '60s song structures with the drive and backbone of late seventies Brit Rock. Add to that a layer of ?wall of sound? gloss and unlikely Blondie-style angelic vocals and the result is a big sound that soothes as well as it rocks. This big sound stems from the bands admiration of Phil Spector's teenage symphonies, as well as Ramones, the Jesus And Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine. The Hong Kong's signature sound is a result of their unique use of layered sampling. Organs, bagpipes and choir voices collide with distorted guitar sounds to create a tidal wave of noise that?s surprisingly melodic in its chaos.
The Hong Kong rose from the depths of the New York underground party scene to now play at the cit
y's most popular venues with such acts as Luna and The Raveonettes. The band?s live performances have captured the attention of many, including Rolling Stone Magazine?s senior editor, David Fricke, who caught them at an intimate performance at a downtown club, and since wrote a full page profile of the band in the September 2003 issue. Catherine Culpepper, the bands vocalist, becomes the magnetic center of attention with her striking voice, blonde radiance, and her Nico-esque allure. Her hypnotic and passionate vocal delivery ride on top of a wave of pure energy that gives The Hong Kong a sound that is unmatched in the music scene today. The songs contain artfully crafted lyrics that touch on timeless themes such as love, teen angst and partying. The rhythm section of Aaron Carroll and Ted Casterline provide the persistent pulse, while Harold Griffin's guitar and Shawn King's keyboard and samplers create a symphony of smooth, fuzzy noise.
Rock The Faces, the band's debut CD in collaboration with Etherdrag Records, has been a local favorite among DJs in New York. City Rockers issued the Mazerati/Birds 7" single in the UK. Rock The Faces hit the U.S. soon after. Later in 2006, look for the new album produced by Rick Ocasek (and featuring the song "Tongue Tied").
The Hong Kong's fresh take on music has given melodic pop a new life and style that it has long deserved.
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