Big Rocks

Big Rocks is the second full-length album from Los Angeles-based band, Hi Ho Silver Oh.

The band, made up of songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Casey Trela and rhythm section Jon Mackey and Kevin Manwarren, fleshes out the bedroom acoustics of earlier recordings and hones their sound with a propulsive ruggedness. Over the course of Big Rocks, the band ebbs and flows with an uncanny fluidity from the caterwauling feedback of "High Tide I," to the shimmering pop of "Trees." From the anthemic bombast of "My Confessor" and sparkly gore of "Showers Without Warning" to the harrowing intimacy of "Belly Line."

Casey Trela's lyrics have never been so potent as they are on Big Rocks. Like a candid conversation with an old friend, Trela's words occupy an eerie space that manages to be both extremely personal and unexpectedly cosmic in the same breath. Even at the album's most mournful and introspective moments, the songs glimmer with a comforting playfulness, always anchored by the sheer power Trela wields as a vocal performer.

Big Rocks is a substantial offering; an instant reward that demands repeat spins.
credits
released July 10, 2012

Casey Trela wrote the words and music. They were then decoded and fleshed out in Hi Ho Silver Oh band form with Wil Donegan, Phil Eastman, Jon Mackey, and Kevin Manwarren. Joe Napolitano and Casey recorded everything either at Hobby Shop in Highland Park, Moonshine Studios in Atwater Village, Joe's house, or the Winona House. Jillinda Palmer played a bunch of keyboards and pianos all over the album, and sang backup vocals on "Belly Line." James King and Jordan Katz played saxophone and trumpet (respectively) on "Pool Party." Dave Horwitz played auxiliary percussion on "Trees." Daniel Hart is the man behind the violin of "Belly Line" and "Gone Straight from My Head." The album's group vocals were sung by Randol Aikin, Kathryn Burns, Kelly Daly, Wil Donegan, Genevieve Howell, Garrett Kemble, Katie McNeill, Tim Phillips, Roxy Radulescu, Laila Tamburini, Madeline Walter, and Michael Wilkie. Charlyne Yi and Roxy played some music into a tape recorder that is sampled in "High Tide I." Casey and Phil played the guitars, Kevin played the bass, Jon played the drums, and Joe played auxiliary percussion. Everybody sang. Joe mixed the album at his house, and Kevin Bartley mastered it at Capitol Records. Jeremy Purser created the artwork. We offer all the gratitude and thanks we can to our parents, family, and friends who keep giving us great examples of what kindness, encouragement, and love look like.