Optimism by Ross and the Hellpets

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Power Pop | Progressive Rock

14 tracks | 30 minutes

Released Nov 2005
on A Bouncing Space Recordings

Click for a 30-second preview. All tracks are 192kbps high fidelity sound quality. Protected WMA $0.77 or unprotected MP3 $0.88.

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sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 01:36 We Vanquished Terror lyrics BUY MP3 01:36 We Vanquished Terror lyrics "GIFT MP3" 01:36 We Vanquished Terror

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:28 Begging lyrics BUY MP3 02:28 Begging lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:28 Begging

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:19 Both Horses lyrics FREE 02:19 Both Horses lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:19 Both Horses

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 01:58 The Oxygen Bill lyrics BUY MP3 01:58 The Oxygen Bill lyrics "GIFT MP3" 01:58 The Oxygen Bill

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 01:59 It's Over lyrics BUY MP3 01:59 It's Over lyrics "GIFT MP3" 01:59 It's Over

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 01:56 A Piece of Your Glow lyrics BUY MP3 01:56 A Piece of Your Glow lyrics "GIFT MP3" 01:56 A Piece of Your Glow

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:11 Voyeur lyrics BUY MP3 02:11 Voyeur lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:11 Voyeur

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:21 We Don't Care lyrics BUY MP3 02:21 We Don't Care lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:21 We Don't Care

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 01:57 You Were Right lyrics BUY MP3 01:57 You Were Right lyrics "GIFT MP3" 01:57 You Were Right

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:02 Inclement Weather lyrics BUY MP3 02:02 Inclement Weather lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:02 Inclement Weather

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 01:32 It Won't Matter lyrics BUY MP3 01:32 It Won't Matter lyrics "GIFT MP3" 01:32 It Won't Matter

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:30 Quesadilla lyrics BUY MP3 02:30 Quesadilla lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:30 Quesadilla

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:25 On Our Way lyrics BUY MP3 02:25 On Our Way lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:25 On Our Way

sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:53 Siva Siva Shambo lyrics BUY MP3 02:53 Siva Siva Shambo lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:53 Siva Siva Shambo

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Indie fuzz power pop with leftist, anti-war themes and sweet bombast.

Editorial review

The Transmissionary Six's third album starts out with the quiet acoustic guitar-led "Black Tin Rocket," with Terri Moeller's vocals sounding like a regret-laden ghost visiting a past sorrow. It may seem strange to think of that being uplifting, but the beauty of the band lies in how it uses a seemingly conventional approach to cut right to the heart -- whether it's in how the chorus shifts to a subtly urgent command to "fire it off!" or how Paul Austin's keyboards provide a gentle bridge, there's a sense of drama here comparable to Lee Hazlewood or Nick Cave at his moodiest. With that as the compelling start, Get Down finds the band moving beyond the Walkabouts associations that understandably saddle Transmissionary Six. Moeller's no clone of Carla Torgerson even while being just as entrancing a singer, and though there are certainly many similar influences, hearing such moments as the calm breakdown into a reversed guitar solo on "Flake" shows how the band has its own take. As the album finds its generally easy pace, what's most impressive is how without actually being a concept album it has the feeling of a piece -- subtle movements between songs, Moeller almost as storyteller as much as singer on songs like "Down for the Count" and "Packakools," a sometimes striking grasp of Biblical and supernatural imagery. When the group ups the volume level the results are thrilling -- Moeller's brawling drumming and the combination of R&B moves and lounge vibes on the instrumental "Johnny & Waldo" feels like a spike of adrenaline. On the opposite tip, "Novanna" might be the secret heart of the album, a gently pretty acoustic guitar part forming the bedrock of a passionate Moeller performance, portraying emotional depths among the workers and attendees of a carnival even as the arrangements turn the song into a subtle, powerful anthem. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

Bio / Background

Garage indie-pop with leftist political themes. The band includes former members of Neutral Milk Hotel, The Gerbils, Orange Pop Chicken and the Lean-tos, and have been fortunate to share stages with such performers as Elliott Smith, Jon Spencer, Dub Narcotic Soundsystem, The Softies, Versus, The Decemberists, and Mojo Nixon, as well as hundreds of amazing lesser-known bands. Based out of Portland, Oregon, the members hail from such diverse locales as Baton Rouge, San Diego and Syracuse, NY. Individually, the members of Ross and the Hellpets have been playing rock, punk and other types of indie music around the U.S. for over 12 years. They've existed in their current form since the fall of 2000.

Launching immediately into the driving satire of "We Vanquished Terror", Optimism keeps the political criticism high with fuzzy tones that recall Imperial Teen and J-Church, dirty rock a la The Cramps, and even a Sanskrit chant.