Something Like Sound

I remember the first time I heard Hello Kavita. It was at the 2009 Westword Music Showcase, and I thought someone had kidnapped Jeff Tweedy and forced him to play a small theater in Denver. While Hello Kavita  does often draw comparisons to Wilco and Neil Young, they possess a distinct originality and cohesive sound.

I recall first listening to “Sunday” and “To A Loved One” as part of a free-preview (see below), and thinking “If the entire record is this good, then this might just be one of the best Denver-local records of the year.” Now, during what may be my 6th or 7th listening of the entire To A Loved One album, I am convinced.

From the first track, “I’m Not,” singer Cory Terayu’s soothing voice and lyrics couple with the incredible production values to leave the listener excited and eager for more feel-good tunes. Other highlights include the sleepy horn-parts threading their way though “Pillar” and the soft steel guitar parts on “The Last Time.” However, it’s not just the music that is memorable, lyrical hooks and imagery evoke a certain nostalgic response on the part of the listener. I have jokingly said, “Hello Kavita managed to make Wilco (The Album) better than Wilco did.” To prove this point, just listen to “This May Be Over Someday.” However, despite all the comparisons to that Chicago-based group, “Colorado” closes out the album as a song about the resilience of life in the centennial state.

Hello Kavita is offering a small taste of the full record with free downloads of “Sunday” and “To A Loved One” through this website. They have also been gracious enough to put the entire album on their MySpace player (which we’ve embedded here), so you have no reason to not hear these guys. Finally, the release party for To A Loved One is going down this Friday (October 23) at the Hi-Dive (click on the poster for more info).