Over the Hill Releases Self-Titled Debut

Austin, TX. (Top40 Charts/ Monofonus Press) - While there are hints of country twang in the album, and Coy's voice sometimes breaks into falsetto, Over the Hill isn't country music. It is music that's new and forming, like a mutating Americana. The band's influences can be grasped here and there throughout the album - the swirling crescendos of "Rabid" are reminiscent of the Flaming Lips, the complacent rage of Dinosaur Jr. boils in "Drug Study," Animal Collective's cinematic weirdness flashes through "Possession," and some of Brian Eno's "Music for Airports" hovers over "Stewardess." But regardless of these musical influences, Over the Hill never steers away from its own distinct sound.

Over the Hill takes the listener through an array of emotional landscapes. The stories in these songs are inspired by slightly surreal visions; from a talking desert pig to porn legend Marilyn Chambers' brief departure from the adult film world to play the starring role in a David Cronenberg film. From the canine chorus of the apocalyptic love song "Darling What You Want Me to Say" to the calm, cultish psychedelia of "Dream Together," the album constructs its own enveloping worlds.

Though Coy is the primary songwriter, he is quick to point out the collaborative effort that went into Over the Hill. Thor Harris of the bands Shearwater and Smog, who also played on many of Devendra Banhart's early recordings, plays vibraphone and drums. Kirk Laktas, from the band My Education, plays organ, Rhodes, and piano on some tracks. These contributions, along with the voices of many other people and a dog, add beauty to the album.

"It took a while to get all these songs together in a way that made sense," explains Coy, formerly of the New Orleans-based band Madrona. "Most of them were written around the time that I moved to Austin, where I met Thor. He agreed to play drums on the record, which represented the biggest void, and he suggested his friend Rob Halverson as engineer and producer. Working with Rob brought a lot to the album's sound. He had a baby girl halfway through, so there were a couple of big breaks of time along the way. But when things go slow, you have a chance to do other things, like live your life."

One of those other things that Coy had a chance to do was write the little book that will be released at the same time as Over the Hill's album. With illustrations by Austin artist Colleen Matzke, Days uv Bloat is the first person narrative of a young prostitute's experience in a small southern city as a plague rises up in the land and infects mankind. "I started writing in her voice and the story developed from there," says Coy. "I know it doesn't sound like the most uplifting of bedtime stories, but you should read it before you write it off." Like Over the Hill, Days uv Bloat defies traditional categories. Both impressive debuts are available early Spring 2007.