Hobo Johnson’s “The Fall Of Hobo Johnson” [Review]

Over the years my taste in music has changed quite a bit. From my love of pop punk, rock, metal, and punk rock, to now a lot more indie rock and more EDM. However, in the past year or so, my go-to genre has definitely been “unhinged guy screaming over guitar riffs as a form of cathartic release”. While one of my new favorite bands, PUP, fits this bill very well, artists like Jeff Rosenstock have enthralled me. An artist that I really got into back in 2020 was Hobo Johnson. I’m not sure how I started listening to Hobo Johnson, but it sure wasn’t how most people learned about him which was his entry into the NPR Tiny Desk Concert in 2018. While the response to this video was pretty mixed, it set him up for success in the future.

Releasing on September 13th, 2019, Hobo Johnson’s “The Fall of Hobo Johnson” debuted with mixed to positive reviews.

In an interview with NME, Hobo Johnson explains that he wanted to make sure that every song on this album sounds very different from each other. He goes on to describe the genre of the album as “Alternative Hip-Hop Rock Folk”. In a press release, Johnson stated that he wanted to make sure that this album can make people feel less alone and stay more alive.

The appeal of Hobo Johnson isn’t really something that you can explain, it’s something that you have to listen to yourself to get a full understanding. To me, Hobo Johnson’s sound is characterized by his shaky whiny vocals, and the fact that it feels like the song could fall apart any second. The “unhinged” nature of his work is what drags you in and the relatable meaning of each song keeps you listening and coming back for more.

“Typical Story” is a rock song that’s an extremely strong way to start off an album. While the title refers to the cliches of “typical stories” like those of a king who has it all, or a caged dog, the song explores the other side of those stories, where the king’s citizens want him dead, and the dog learns that he’s safer being a caged animal rather than a free one. The song explores the darker side of life and what’s going on behind the scenes. While the song is a bit eclectic and all over the place, the instruments are anything but. With some really solid guitars backing the track, and excellent vocalizations, the incredibly high energy is a welcome opening to the album.

On the other side of the genre spectrum, “Mover Awayer” rings in with an elegant feeling piano. The chorus erupts into a wonderful explosion of harmonizing vocals as well as a really solid bass line. While I would consider this song to be more pop and spoken word, Hobo Johnson’s ramblings are extremely heartfelt and tell the tale of the person he loves moving away and exiting his life.

“Ugly Kid”, described as a “weird jazz hip-hop song” by Hobo Johnson, is a very gentle track. Elohim lends her vocals to this song, providing an almost dreamlike feeling throughout the piece. The trumpet on this track is amazing and Hobo Johnson even makes a point to call it out with the lyric “Listen to this fucking trumpet, holy shit!”. Hobo Johnson pours his heart out saying that the person he’s in a relationship with shouldn’t be with him because he’s not good-looking. Not only does he explain that he’s hard on the eyes, but also that he’s also ugly on the inside. The song ends however, saying that while he was ugly in and out as a kid, as he’s grown up, he’s become a better person and a bit easier on the eyes.

“You & the Cockroach” is a very out-there song. I even struggle to call it a song as it’s more of a spoken-word comedy commentary on the past, present, and future, referring to political, cultural, and religious topics in a satirical way. When I said earlier that I enjoyed songs about unhinged guys singing over a guitar, this song fills that niche sans guitar. Hobo Johnson rambles on and on telling the story of the beginning of life on earth and evolution in a way that a conspiracy theorist might. Hobo Johnson goes on to explain how life evolved from single-celled organisms to current-day religion, conflict, and government. He goes on to explain how nuclear war may very well end life on earth, but cockroaches would be able to survive as they can survive a bit more nuclear radiation than humans. After the nuclear war, Hobo Johnson goes on to tell the tale of how the cockroaches will eventually evolve and develop their own religion, conflict, and government. This draws some parallels to the U.S. government at the time. While this “song” is very out there, it does get stuck in your head for one reason or another. Whether it’s the simple beats or the way the instruments erupt during the “chorus”, “You & the Cockroach” is a pretty unique piece of music.

While it’s not an ad, “Subaru Crosstrek XV” certainly feels like one. With a lovely trap beat and Hobo Johnson’s almost tired and rambling vocals explain the problem with material possessions. He goes into the fact that while he’s doing okay for himself now, he’s almost to the point where he can afford to spend money on a luxury purchase like a Lamborghini.

While I don’t feel like there’s much to “Moonlight”, this track is very important to Hobo Johnson. In an interview with NYLON, Hobo Johnson explains that the song is about his commitment issues and once he realized that he began dating his ex once more, setting himself on the right path in his life. While I feel like this track falls short compared to the rest of the album, I do enjoy the fact that it reuses other lyrics from other songs on the album.

“Happiness” is a song about wronging someone and wishing them the best. While Hobo Johnson was under the influence, he explains that he has said some really dumb stuff and hurt someone that he loves. While he wants the best for them, he’s reflecting on how he was an idiot at the moment and wants his loved one to just prove him wrong. The very simple piano in this song really tugs at your heartstrings a bit and just adds to the emotional depth of the piece as a whole.

Back at it again with the trumpets and a more dreamlike feeling, “All In My Head” is a song about what we’re all thinking. The song focuses on some pretty interesting thoughts of what would happen if we just all stopped going to work or talking to people. It explores the weird thoughts that pop into our heads once in a while and kinda pokes at them.

“Ode to Justin Bieber” is an upbeat tune about Hobo Johnson’s struggle with his fame. He compares it to that of Justin Bieber who quickly rose to fame as a young kid and was in the public eye for a big part of his life. Hobo Johnson complements the way Bieber handled his fame for his age and how he did his best. The trap beat during the chorus is a delight on this track and the bassline throughout the song is one of the best on the album. The song ends with a very lighthearted piano where Hobo Johnson explains his rise to fame from living in his car to now supporting his family and his friends.

“February 15th” is a live recording of Hobo Johnson pouring his heart out saying that he’s going to be alone forever and getting used to that feeling. It’s a very simple piece played out on a single guitar where Hobo Johnson really just says that he’s been struggling with mental illness as well as failing to hold a relationship.

The trend of mental illness continues in “Sorry, My Dear”. Hobo Johnson’s vocals are incredibly warped as he rambles over a very simple piano and drum beat. The way the chorus explodes on this track is beautiful. The song itself is about Hobo Johnson’s struggles with suicide and the story of how he decided not to die. This is probably the most powerful track on this record.

Closing out the album is “I Want a Dog”. Hobo Johnson’s want for a dog is something grounded in reality, something that’s very achievable and simple that he can go out and do right now. However, with his newfound admiration and success, Hobo Johnson is aspiring to more and to have a family that can change the world. While he wants this, he recognizes that these are wild expectations he pulls back and focuses his attention on just owning a dog. This song is the epitome of Hobo Johnson. With the simple piano playing that erupts during the chorus, him singing and rambling about his past, present, and future, it really is the culmination of everything he’s worked toward.

Final Thoughts

“The Fall of Hobo Johnson” is a really powerful album about the ups and downs and struggles of Hobo Johnson. His rambling fried vocals and cadence really lend themselves to that unhinged feeling and it’s incredibly refreshing to hear someone touch a bunch of subjects that you wouldn’t normally hear.

References:
NME: Hobo Johnson at Reading 2019 on his Tiny Desk, rough sleeping and new album
NYLON: Hobo Johnson Is So Much More Than Just Another Sad Boy

Album Score: 8/10
Favorite Track: “Mover Awayer”

Link