The Haints - Battle of Wounded Heart (CD)

All Music Guide

The Haints began as a jokey side project of the Groovie Ghoulies, playing largely acoustic folkpunk tunes with giggly lyrics. By their second album, however, these Sacramentobased poppunks have turned the Haints into something notably different and far more appealing. Acoustic guitars are joined by polite electrics, although the overall jangly tone is still closer to 1965 folkrock than 1977 punk. Lyrically, although there's still a refreshing lack of solemnity to the proceedings "Zombie Crush" and the interplanetary love song "Hair of Gold (And Skin of Blue)" are indicative singer/songwriter Kepi is unafraid to tackle slightly more serious topics in the title track and elsewhere; even the opening "Carly Simon" uses the soft rocker's song "Coming Around Again" as a metaphoric starting point for a fairly serious relationship song. Appealing not just to long term Groovie Ghoulies fans but to anyone with a taste for Johnny Cashlike rockabilly stomps like "It Only Goes to Show," Battle of... Wounded Heart is a casual, unassuming charmer. - Stewart Mason, All Music Guide Read more Less