“Matchbox,” the newest track by Bellingham-based trio The Hookups, perfectly captures the wistful stages of missing someone and losing oneself in the process. Enriched in vulnerability, the track starts out with a nostalgic yet sanguine melody followed by beautifully organic vocals, and evocative lyricism. The first verse immediately pulls at your heartstrings with imagery of uncomfortable solitude and uncertainty after a breakup. The first lyric being “found myself alone in my bed” is a perfect lead to a lingering theme of despondency. At about 1 minute and 20 seconds in, the vocals are captivated by a reverberated guitar solo that feels nothing less than a daydream. This point in the song seemingly embodies a changeover from the first half of the track and its playfully melancholy tone. Following this, the track becomes progressively more intense. With reference to the lyrics “you watch me lose my innocence” the sound quite literally loses its innocent tone and transitions into a slightly more unhinged sound with added background monologue of two people verbally arguing, making for a perfectly chaotic ending. “Now I don’t know what to do with my hands anymore” is sung with desperation as the track slowly fades away, closing the book on the debut single. If this is any indication of what we can expect from the trio in the future, The Hookups are bound for fast success.
