HIJK 'The Pen and the Letter' album

Equally inspired by Pinback, Bloc Party, Metric, and Modest Mouse, Oakland, California's art-rockers HIJK have a habit of turning conventional pop techniques upside down. Consisting of singer/guitarist David Tsui, singer/bassist/keyboardist Michael Mahony, and drummer Trevor Wencl, the band was formerly known as Hijack The Disco before becoming HIJK. Mahony and Tsui met each other in college, and Wencl joined their collaboration in 2003. Under the name Hijack The Disco, the trio issued a demo in early 2004 and wrote another in 2005; a year later, Panic! At the Disco forced them to switch their name to HIJK.

The group's live performances began to attract attention from both the press and their peers; Mahony approached Enrique Gonzalez Müller (Kronos Quartet, Nine Inch Nails, L'Aura), who spent the next year and a half producing their first full-length effort, The Pen and the Letter. The record, on their own HIJK Music label, was released in August, 2007 to very positive critical reviews. In The Pen and the Letter, HIJK's distinctive dueling vocals, angular rhythms, and triple-barbed melodies are augmented by accordions, singing-saws, trumpets, scissors, and violas -- triumphantly capturing HIJK's compelling live performance and highlighting the unique interplay between the three members.

press quotes
"The songs on HIJK's full-length debut, The Pen and the Letter, seem to flow effortlessly together like a well-planned symphony" - West Coast Performer

"It's rare for an independent rock band to put half as much time into an album" - East Bay Express

"A supremely successful partnership" - Amplifier Magazine

"Tastefully delicate art pop" - SF Bay Guardian

"Unexpected and expertly wielded... Fans of weirdo pop of all kinds, won't want to miss this one." - SF Weekly

"There's an exciting unpredictability to the songs on The Pen and the Letter, as moments of quiet beauty turn into moments of danceable up-tempo rock which then turn into something else entirely. Credit is certainly due to the guys' abilities as musicians as well as the chemistry that Mahony and Tsui have in delivering back-and-forth vocals" - AjiSignal.com

"Their easygoing, effortlessly upbeat sound smacks of radio play and heavy MTV2 rotation." - Albondigas

"Many of the songs evolve signifcantly as they go... layered with complex melodic passages that unfold over repeated listens." - The Bay Bridged

"The album is an amalgam of angular guitars, terse rhythms and harmonious vocals… HIJK's sensibility for crafting original songs is apparent." - The Skinny Magazine

"The Pen and the Letter is made up of dark, yet poppy indie rock. It's melodic and catchy… full of sudden twists and turns that make the listening experience somewhat addictive" - Nascent

"Word of mouth is spreading about HIJK's intense live show" - SFist

"…they thrive on what we'll call the three D's - discipline, diligence, and attention to detail" - West Coast Performer

"The perky pop of [HIJK] is like the potato chips, lightly salted, and with a hint of vinegary dance-synth." - Flavorpill

"Highly varied and engrossing songs" - Super Seven

"Hell, if sleighbells are involved, can it not be wonderful?" - Birdmonster

"[HIJK] will be stirring the Bay Area for some time no doubt." - Smother Magazine

"Silly name, promising band" - Devil In The Woods Magazine

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HIJK - The Pen and the Letter