Hippo Campus: Landmark (Indie Exclusive Colored Vinyl) Vinyl LP

Debut album from St. Paul, Minnesota indie rockers Hippo Campus. Landmark documents Hippo Campus’ transition from high school band to sophisticated pop outfit, and the twin cities four-piece land somewhere between later-period Saves The Day and a modern Prefab Sprout (check “Poems” and “Boyish” and tell me Jake Luppen doesn’t sound like Paddy McAloon!). Bon Iver collaborator BJ Burton lends a hand to the band on production, and it shows: “Epitaph” resembles Justin Vernon’s signature warped vocal treatment, and most of the songs on Landmark nail the same artful arrangements and eye-watering crescendos as Bon Iver, Bon Iver. The majority of Landmark is full-on pop rock with the entire band plugged in, but a few intimate moments consisting of Luppen’s soulful croon coupled with a few dreamy synthesizer chords (“Monsoon”, “Vines”) are plucked straight from the Bon Iver playbook. This indie-exclusive limited pressing on yellow colored vinyl is housed in a #TTLhifi-worthy gatefold sleeve and comes with coupon for free download. 

• yellow colored vinyl pressing
• limited edition
• gatefold sleeve
• digital download included
• music label: Grand Jury 2017

reviewed by Kurupt FM Intern 05/2017

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