Making A Case For: Hot Water Music (by Richard Mair and Omar Ramlugon)

Welcome to a new regular feature here at CPRW, where you get to see an insight into the regular debates and discussions about the high points of various band’s careers. Often such debates start with a suggestion that ‘x’ album is better than ‘y’ with all manner of reasons thrown into the mix to support the viewpoint that a certain album is the most essential release from their back catalogue.

So, the way this works is we have given an ardent campaigner for an album the chance to put 300–500 words together on why said album is their favourite and a fellow contributor makes the case for an alternative… it’s then over to you dear readers in the comments to help us decide who made the best case!

This week Richard and Omar go head to head with the heavyweight albums by Hot Water Music, with Richard Making The Case For No Division and Omar Caution.

Making A Case For No Division (Richard Mair)

Now no doubt Omar has put a compelling argument forward for the excellent “Caution”, sure it has the big hitters of Wayfarer and Remedy but aside from that it’s just a good album. That’s not a criticism; I truly love “Caution” and agree it’s iconic but, compared to one of the finest emo/post-hardcore albums of all time, it just feels too safe and certainly not quite at the level of their first “great” album.

No Division is that great album. Imagine it’s August 1999. The punk rock airwaves are full of Blink 182 singing about not growing up and aliens, New Found Glory and Saves The Day are unleashing pop infused emo songs on us and the ever reliable AFI have gone dark on Punk Rock. Out of nowhere the gravel throated roar of Chuck Ragan starts singing of unity, freedom and equality over amazingly technical melodies and we finally have a band with something relevant to say and the ability to set it to the most gorgeous soundtrack. No Division personally remains the finest Hot Water Music album for the simple reason that it’s their most creative album; this is where a band truly found their voice.

Opening songs Southeast First and Free Radio Gainesville are arguably the most iconic salvo to introduce an album, from the cheerleader led chant to Jason Black’s sexy bass line before we finally get that voice; the sandpaper whisky throated roar magically off kilter to the melody. Whilst I love both Fuel For The Hate Game and Forever And Counting, No Division always feels like their leap forward from cult heroes to genuine punk rock contenders.

Alongside the frenetic opening, the album also contains a Hot Water Music at their most restrained. Driving Home is a perfect emo-song; melancholic and empty at its core musically, the song remains so defiant and uplifting that it manages to hit all the feels twenty years after its release. Our Own Way is another more subdued song, relying on the quality of the playing compared to its pace to illicit a response. Likewise, End Of Gun is arguably Hot Water Music absolutely nailing the social commentary and disillusionment with a world that focuses on consumerism at the expense of protecting its citizens.

Despite my claim that Caution contains the iconic anthems, No Division also contains two quintessentially fan favourite bangers in Rooftops (covered by Alkaline Trio and no doubt providing a more pop punk audience to become aware of the charms of the Gainesville legends), but also Hard To Know – no lyrics will be associated more with the band than the mantra “live your heart and never follow”.

No Division remains a truly special album; if anyone was just discovering them for the first time, I’d wholeheartedly recommend heading for this collection above all others. Sure, it’s not the most raucous of their back catalogue but it’s far and away their most beautiful!

Making A Case For Caution (Omar Ramlugon)

Caution is to Hot Water Music what Mush is to Leatherface; a perfect document of a seminal band. Following on from 2001’s A Flight And A Crash, Caution found the band partnering up again with producer Brian McTernan for their second release on Epitaph, whose work on the previous record threw the band’s sinewy rhythms and pin sharp tempo changes into sharp relief, as opposed to the muddier recordings that were the case in previous years. There were a few moments on A Flight… that seemed as if the band were breaking new ground but not quite sure of their footing just yet.

Caution has no such shortcomings. From the very first second of Remedy, which has been a frequent show opener for them ever since, the band sound both bursting with energy and passion, but there are deep veins of melody hewn deep into the brick-hard riffing and muscular rhythm section. Singers/guitarists Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard deliver their most powerful payloads of gravelly, heartfelt roaring while ducking in and out of and harmonising with eachother’s melodies on both their instruments; not a single second of the sub thirty-seven minute run time is wasted.

The band push into exciting new areas – take the simple, beautiful piano line supporting the break in Alright For Now, or the stuttering guitar riff of It’s All Related – but this is built on a foundation of crunching, melodic-but-snarling, perfect punk rock songs that are both simple on first listen yet bursting with complexity that reveals itself to an in-depth headphone listener. Even Dag Nasty/Bad Religion legend Brian Baker shows up on the incredible closing track, fittingly named The End, to fire off an explosive guitar solo.

Caution is a perfect album, simply put. Instantly rewarding and endlessly repeatable.

This feature was written by Richard Mair and Omar Ramlugon.