British shoegaze trio The Hobbes Fanclub are looking to make a name for themselves in the United States with the release of “Up at Lagrange.” It’s solid gathering of 11 tunes that are positively awash in distortion and reverb.
Leon Carroll (vocals/guitar), Louise Phelan (bass/vocals) and Adam Theakston (drums) are clearly influences by fellow U.K. outfits like Teenage Fanclub and The Jesus and Mary Chain and I’m guessing “Up at Lagrange” might have been an acclaimed release back in the early 1990s.
As it stands, there are some nice moments to be found on the record — notably “Stay Gold,” “Your Doubting Heart,” “How Could You Leave Me Like This?” and “Sometimes” — but I’m guessing that the appeal of The Hobbes Fanclub is going to be limited to those who still dig shoegaze.
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