Hammock (band)

History

Hammock was formed as a collaboration between guitarists Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson, both formerly of alternative rock band Common Children, that developed out of informal recording sessions between songwriting projects. Byrd and Thompson initially had no intention of releasing their studio efforts. After building up a collection of almost 40 songs, however, they changed their minds.

Hammock have released eight LPs and five EPs since 2005, mostly on their own label, Hammock Music, which is distributed through Redeye, and have garnered favorable reviews from publications such as Pitchfork and AllMusic. Byrd also records, since 2005, as a member of the band The Choir.

Hammock gave their first live performance at a private event at Chuck Dodson's Gallery@404B in Hot Springs, Arkansas on August 3, 2007, to honor Jónsi & Alex, the artistic collaboration between Jón Þór (Jónsi) Birgisson (lead singer and guitarist of Sigur Rós) and Alex Somers (graphic designer and member of the band Parachutes), on the night of their United States premier, which was also their first-ever exhibition outside of Iceland. This performance eventually became the inspiration for Maybe They Will Sing for Us Tomorrow (featuring artwork by Jónsi & Alex), which was recorded live in its entirety, save for a few overdubs. In 2008, Hammock performed at the Wordless Music Series in New York City with Stars of the Lid.

In May 2010, Hammock released their fifth full-length album, Chasing After Shadows...Living with the Ghosts. That December, Hammock released their fourth EP, Longest Year, a beatless and wordless mini-album that was born out of the difficulty the band faced in 2010, including the near-total destruction of Byrd's home in the epic 2010 Nashville flood.

Over the next few years, Hammock expanded their musical horizons with a variety of collaborations and the addition of more of an orchestral aspect to their music. Hammock collaborated with singer-songwriter Matthew Ryan on the single "Like New Year's Day", released on January 1, 2011. On March 8, 2011, the band issued a cover of Catherine Wheel's "Black Metallic" as a digital single, featuring vocals by Byrd's wife, Christine Glass (the couple had previously collaborated as a duo, GlassByrd). On October 5, 2011, they released a four-song collaboration EP with Steve Kilbey and Tim Powles of The Church called Asleep in the Downlights.

On July 6, 2012, Hammock announced that mastering had started for their sixth LP and first double album, Departure Songs. It was released on October 2, 2012.

On May 10, 2013, they announced that they had begun mixing a new record, Oblivion Hymns. The album was released on November 26, 2013, and was a notable departure from their previously guitar-focused sound, adding a neoclassical element with a full orchestra, children's choir, and vocals from Timothy Showalter (Strand of Oaks).

On July 1, 2014, Hammock reissued their fully ambient 2005 album The Sleep-Over Series (Volume 1), following it up with a sequel, The Sleepover Series, Volume 2, on September 23, 2014.

Hammock's ninth album, Everything and Nothing, was released on April 1, 2016. Irish music and politics magazine Hot Press said in its review that the album is "the aural equivalent of a flotation tank... an album to lose yourself in completely". Haydon Spenceley, reviewing for Drowned in Sound, stated that the album has "clarity, purpose, drivenness, even, not words that would necessarily be associated with this stellar band's earlier work... This is music of transcendent beauty, but with an added level of dissonance that grabs the attention in a way that hasn't ever seemed to be Hammock's stock in trade before". Spenceley also claimed that Everything and Nothing is Hammock's "most immediate, most sonorous and beautiful album to date".

On November 29, 2016, Hammock announced on their Twitter page that they were in the process of recording a new album, with Slow Meadow guesting.

Albums

EPs

Singles

Compilation albums

Selected compilation appearances

Music videos