Hot Water Music

Item: Caution
Author: Chaz Murphy

Caution

(2002)

Reviewed by Chaz Murphy

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Spotify

Label Epitaph Records / No Idea RecordsDecapolisOctober 2002

post-hardcore punk

Gainesville, Florida's Hot Water Music has been very busy the past 2 years. They have been on constant touring and also had time to release three albums. They released "A Flight and a Crash" on Epitaph (CD)/No Idea (Vinyl) last year. Earlier this year they did a split with their touring buddies, The Alkaline Trio, and now put out their sophomore record, Caution, on Epitaph Records. Since 1994 this band has been nothing but a musical monster. In 8 years, this band has put out an assortment of over 17 releases, including full-length records, a live record, ep's, and 7" vinyls. They also have had time to do other side projects such as Rumbleseat and Unitus (both on No Idea Records). You can tell that they love what they do and they have to be doing it right. Somehow the raspy and off tone vocals and those weird guitar riffs have attracted many people over the years.

Let's get all the technical stuff out of the way before I go in-depth about the album itself. Like usual, the production is great. It isn't as raw as their earlier releases but it has more of a professional sound to it. It has the sound quality that "A Flight and a Crash" had. There are albums that sound better on vinyl than on CD and some albums that sound better on CD than on vinyl. This one would sound better on CD. HWM earlier stuff like "Forever" and "Counting and Full for the Hate Game" sound much better on vinyl. The vocals are clear but still raspy. They do a good mix of softer songs and songs that you can rock out to.

The first time I heard the album, I was kind of skeptical. I liked "A Flight and a Crash". I just wasn't expecting the change in their work. It had to grow on me. I guess it still is growing on me. Then they rocked back with one song on the split with Alkaline Trio, "God Deciding". I had totally mixed feelings. I had no idea what to expect but then it delivered. "A Flight and a Crash" seemed to separate their old work from their new work. The split with Alkaline Trio showed that they are still amazing and they go back a tad with their older work. "Caution" shows that a band can progress and stay true but still branch out and not lose any of its power. A lot of the times, bands try to change their sound and they either go too far or don't go far enough and they lose their power and fan base but I don't think HWM has done that. They still show they can rock but also show that they are amazingly talented. The lyrics are once again very poetic and personal. To HWM rhyme schemes do not matter as much as personality and passion. If you aren't happy with this record, be happy at least with the art work. HWM's friend Scott Sinclair does another amazing job on the art work for this album.

I won't lie to you, part of me wants the old sound back. I don't think I am alone in that thinking but they do a good job of keeping me entertained and singing along. They keep their originality and their passion and basically I think that's all that matters.

The CD is out on Epitaph Records and the Vinyl will be out shortly on No Idea Records.

Great art work, great production, good musicianship, great lyrics.

A-