Dongshan's Five Ranks

The Hentchmen appeared on the Detroit scene in the early '90s, eager to bring back the excitement of rock'n'roll of the past, and putting a '60s twist on garage rock that started a trend with other like-minded local musicians who were looking to modernize the sound of some of their earlier musical heroes. The trio's self-described “hit and run” sound is mainly attributed to their minimalist approach - guitars, drums, and organ - and their mastery of the stripped-down and sped-up is certainly well represented here. There aren't many instruments to choose from or a wide range in repertoire, but the guys never needed it. Organ-driven melodies, thick harmonies, dueling guitar riffs and a thumping snare: the Hentchmen threw it all in the pot, and the combination always somehow resulted in moments that sound like pure fun more often than just self-indulgent noise. The band is effortlessly hard-hitting on tracks like “Big Screen Lover”, just as they are entertaining with the freaked-out organ on “Gawker Delay” and downright hip-shaking on “Yesterday’s Trash”.