Nostalgic remarks seem to dominate most blurbs and blog posts written about Hum. The band’s brief status as a “one hit” alternative rock wonder in the 90s was taken over by a new appreciation after many realized the band actually had the goods to back their success. “Stars” becoming a surprise hit may have been the worst thing to have happened to the group — it propelled their career, but was also a relatively average song that overshadowed Hum’s full repertoire due to its’ frequent airplay. Both You’d Prefer an Astronaut and Downwards is Heavenwards were both the rare kind of alternative rock albums that aren’t simply collections of filler material intended to bolster the sticker songs on the price tag.
This was nothing new to the group; by the release of 1995’s breakthrough You’d Prefer an Astronaut Hum had been toiling away for nearly six years and had two fantastic but overlooked albums. Electra 2000, the band’s second release in 1993, remains my personal favorite of all of Hum’s output. The kickoff track “Iron Clad Lou” could be considered the blueprint for “Stars,” starting off as a quiet intertwining guitar track until the group suddenly launches into repetitive near-metal riffage. Purely cathartic with its intensity and forward momentum, the rest of the album mostly follows suit. Electra 2000 is the group’s heaviest and most relentless album. Even the slower songs on the album don’t wallow for long before being overtaken by the bombastic guitar theatrics Hum became known for. “Double Dip,” despite the tacky lyrics and overdone vocals, is an early example of the group’s remarkably adept dynamic control that they’d later perfect.
Like You’d Prefer an Astronaut, Electra 2000 should be taken as a whole. While it certainly sports a number of weak songs, it is more than made up for by some of the band’s finest moments overall. They never again reached the intensity of songs like “Pinch and Roll” and “Scraper,” for better or worse. You’d Prefer an Astronaut still remains the most beloved and nostalgia driven choice for an introductory album, but for those wanting to hear Hum the at their most furious and cathartic apex, Electra 2000 will not steer you wrong.
