John Hoppin: Shutdown Corner

Now available on itunes is John Hoppin’s recent self release Shutdown Corner. A 17 song album which is a mixture of new songs and re-recordings of older songs. Made entirely on Hoppin’s home computer and using very simple tools Hoppin’s ingenuity creates an original sound whose sum greater then its parts. The sound is multi layered and woven from his many influences: west coast noise, hip hop, R & B, german dance music, a little dark wave, dub, blues, jazz and of course Rock and Roll.
SDC is never mechanical or removed like you might expect from your typical pc production and I think this is due to a combination of Hoppin’s voice and lyrics. His voice is deep, resonating from his belly and his harmonies are unusual but they work. Listen to “I was Rollin” to see what I’m talking about, the guy can sing.

John is a poet and I’m such a sucker his lyrics. He has a way of saying things that makes the words ring perfectly.
One of my favorites is the song Rock and Roll

Rock and roll, It ain’t gonna die
Rock and roll, Not as long as I can get high
Rock and roll, You can set your watch by the shit
Lets knock down the walls and blow up the building we’re in
Everybody wants to die, again and again

Last, no one should miss his cover of River May Come, originally by Brooklyn favorites Wild Yaks and written by their front man Robert Bryn

John is currently working on Shutdown Corner 2 and snippets of it are available for listening on his blog, check it out