I must admit that It's been a joy to sit back and watch the Hotpipes evolve over the past six years or so. Someone should write a book... or at least a couple paragraphs. Though heard by few and long out-of-print, Hotpipes' first two e.p.'s, Heroes & Villains and Cool, Calm, Collected, have a very special place in my music library. There's something wonderful about how these recordings showcase a very, very young band searching, almost desperately, for their sound. It's regretful that it took this band such a long time to find an audience, because in my opinion, these guys have had something special right out of the gate. It seems they never really gained the respect they deserved until they shook their Midwestern rock and roll roots and embraced a slender and hyper-focused weirdo pop vibe. But that's how things go around here, so there's no reason to look back with what-ifs.

Anyway, it wasn't until their 2007 self-titled full-length and last year's Future Bolt that folks finally started to get it. And maybe that's because Jon, Dave, Justin & Dan finally started to get it themselves. It's become evident they they know what they're doing and believe in it wholeheartedly. And it's always a wonderful thing to witness, whether it be on record or on stage. Hotpipes give off a an air of contradiction. Of innocence and wisdom. Of being totally serious and goofy-as-hell. Of good times and bad. Of the future and the past. And you know what? It makes absolutely perfect sense. I, for one, can't wait to see where they take us.

Godspeed, boys.
-jbc