The brightest fell, to land here

BLOW YOUR HAIR BACK: For a two-piece made up of drummer Texas Holdem (left) and guitarist Alex Elvis, the Skinny Hobos make a lot of noise. Picture supplied

The graphic for the hard-out New Zealand duo Skinny Hobos’ The Merchant of Tirau act’s single features a typical Kiwi villa in neon green and orange. Out front is a neon sign that reads The Merchant of Tirau. It’s a clear reference to Shakespeare’s play in which the eponymous merchant of Venice plans to claim his pound of flesh from a businessman who has defaulted on his loan.

Skinny Hobos’ title, like the lyrics, though, are a shade ambiguous:

My girl, she like to go for a ride

My girl, she likes to stay the night

She said you know

Oh yes, you know

My girl, she knows that it’s a lie

When I think about her all of the time

But who cares?

The song opens with a funky guitar riff then blasts into blow-your-hair-back bass and drum driven beats in the vein of old school pub rock but with an edge.

After establishing their riff-heavy sound, the alternative, punk/hardcore, rock duo looked to push the limits of what could be achieved with only a guitar and a drum kit. And now they’re back with Lucifer — a new album, not the actual Prince of Darkness — their first release since their 2018 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards-nominated debut album. The line-up of bottom-heavy, riff-laden arse-kickers reveal new layers of Alex Elvis and Texas Holdom’s sound. It shows where the two-piece has been and is packed with an explosive hint at where they’re heading.

Ferrier’s preference is for Ibanez semi-hollow guitars, played through vintage amps he has customised himself, with a collection of about 20 pedals of all different brands, says online magazine nzmusician.

There is an instant understanding between Ferrier and Holdem says the guitarist.

“He seems to know what I am thinking and plays intricate drum segments just how I imagine it.”

Lucifer includes a version of Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song — with extended lead guitar break. It doesn’t deviate too much from, or bring anything new to the original.

But it hardly matters.

Old timers and kids exposed to their parents’ — grandparents, maybe — music choices will recognise the classic. And, lo, they shall understand, this is what to expect when the Hobos storm the stage at Smash on Saturday.

Skinny Hobos: The Lucifer Tour, Smash Palace, Saturday, 7pm. Tickets $20-$30 from undertheradar.co.nz or at door