As a long time fan and after much anticipation, The Holdup has released their latest studio album, Killing Time. This is especially thrilling for me as the band had been releasing certain singles from the album every two weeks for the better part of the second half of 2018 and now the time has finally come.
For those unfamiliar, and in some cases even for current fans, you may be surprised to know that The Holdup theoretically and always has consisted of only one true member: lead vocalist/guitarist Mike Garmany of San Jose, CA. Garmany has been responsible for writing and recording music for The Holdup since their first album, Stay Gold, while rotating musicians into various band positions based on the sound and vision he wishes to convey to the fans.
Since their origin in 2006, they have found success in multi-genre music fans by blending reggae, hip-hop, and pop flawlessly, and Killing Time stays true to this pattern without the songs sounding repetitive, despite releasing a 20 track album (Intro and an Outro included). Having an emphasis on the reggae aspect of the music, The Holdup has gained respect from other powerhouses in the reggae genre such as The Dirty Heads, Pepper, Sublime with Rome, and even Rebelution.
Along with a distinctive voice, Garmany has always managed to take what could be considered a standard reggae guitar sound and turn it into something much more complex. Tracks such as “Braindead”, “Gas in the Tank”, “Ugly”, and “Desert Island” are only a sliver of what I’d like to consider a “complete album”, scratching every itch that I’ve had as a fan of the The Holdup since I was introduced to them in 2010.
It’s only February, but I think it’s safe to say I’ll still be listening to this album on the beach with my shades on by the time summer rolls around. Crack open a cold one, kick up your feet, and enjoy the music. -AD
hipshy music 