Track Review: Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Hawk Highway"

Last year, Cymbals Eat Guitars put out Lenses Alien, an album that I believed to fit in more with an "Honorable Mention" than a "Best of" list. Continuing that album's sound is "Hawk Highway", although the track would certainly have been a highlight from last year's release - it could have fit perfectly anywhere in the lackluster second half, save the excellent "Wavelengths". The single is part of a mini-documentary web series called Masters From Their Day which pair up a band with a legendary producer - in Cymbals' case, it's the same producer from Lenses Alien, John Agnello. The band records a new single using the producer and everybody goes on with their lives. What makes "Hawk Highway" noteworthy is that it expands and refines the better aspects of Lenses Alien, providing hope for another solid release from the band in the near future. The lyrics, as is the case with Cymbals, are heavily coded and probably about space or sock puppets, but Joe delivers them in such an interesting way that it doesn't really matter what they are. You can pick up the single for free here, or watch the mini-doc below.