Two Sides, Two Stories
- david1170
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Personal Punk review Hidden Cabins latest 12”
Since forming in 2011, HIDDEN CABINS have released a modest selection of EP’s and splits, getting out and about on various jaunts around the UK, US, Canada and Europe. Currently revolving around Craig Cirinelli (microphone, hand percussion, ex-(DAMN) THIS DESERT AIR, ELEMAE, ARCTIC SLEEP, current THE ATLANTIC UNION PROJECT) and Brian Hofgesang (guitar, textures, additional microphone), they expanded to a full band for 2018s The Hidden Cabins Band EP.
The sleeve art kinda gives the game away. Two grizzled (hidden) cabin dwellers knocking out Country folk Americana and, while that is far from my usual cuppa, writing this blog keeps revealing every day’s a school day. No, these recordings go deeper, earthier, digging into a grounded sense of community and heart. Side A represents their recent stripped back sound, in contrast to Side B’s full-band stand, though the flow is smooth, the change subtle. If any song on here is going to put off the average punker it’ll probably be the roots-rock of opener Anxiety Hides, even as it features a sticky chorus refrain. The rolling twang of indie-country rumbler End Our Days and the loping hypnotics of No Reservations – the latter capturing essence of Native American tradition and wide open prairies – harness the power of restraint to compelling effect. There’s a purity to Winding Road that nods to THE DECEMBERISTS with a country rock chorus before plunging into the dark-folk of Suffer The Surge. Handclaps, persistent strumming and impassioned dual vocals add a layer of grit in your eye as effective as any rousing punk anthem. The four songs on Side B, taken from 2018s The Hidden Cabins Band EP, contain minor indie sensibilities without losing the rustic air of the whole. See The One That Got Out, a twinkly-guitared lope through the melancholy of small town trappings, shot through with a shimmering, hypnotic quality. Similarly soothing, The Calming draws again from The King Is Dead-era DECEMBERISTS, with those Peter Buck-like guitar lines, bringing their own rousing take to the game. One More Sip‘s vocals might stray a little too close to trad rock for my tastes but there is a clean simplicity to its guitar lines and the synth-fuelled final build is a real pay-off. If you have a spare ten minutes though, I’d urge you to seek out this record’s final track. Bet It All On You‘s skeletal first half sees electronic drums, keys and minimal guitar picking accompany timeless vocals on a quietly atmospheric piece, shades of SYSTEM OF A DOWN‘s moodier moments. The entire second half builds – and there’s really only one way to say this – majestically – around a repetitive title refrain, electric guitar and synth surging alongside some truly haunting backing vocals. It’s a stunning achievement; to positively nail one’s attention by patiently building around such naked simplicity. Fuckin’ love it.
There’s a photo of HIDDEN CABINS playing at some real intimate coffee house or something, and here is where I imagine these guys shine. An earthy concoction of alt-country, minimalist indie and good ol’ rousing folk music, this really opened up my heart and mind. Damn, am I getting old?
At the risk of sounding like a shill, it’s worth mentioning the vinyl release. Aged-effect sleeve art on good quality card stock, mysterious ‘marbled charcoal’ record; coupled with the earthy recordings within, the whole thing has a tangible, timeless quality that just feels right.
Released on 21st November 2025 by Engineer Records, Hidden Tracks and Creep Records on digital and vinyl. Vinyl limited to 200 copies. Get one now.
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