The Hectors are from Los Angeles.
The Hectors write and perform songs about geeks ("Cold Star"), thugs ("Carol and Sanford"), slackers ("Proof of Sale") and dreamers ("I Drove All the Way from Bridgeport to Make it With You").
The Hectors self-produced and recorded their recently-released 5-song EP, "Sometimes They Collide", then called upon veteran producer Rick Parker (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Dandy Warhols, Brian Jonestown Massacre) to mix, and masterful engineer Mark Chalecki (Silversun Pickups, Earlimart, Great Northern) to master.
The Hectors' EP is currently getting play on major radio stations Indie 103.1 FM and KEXP, as well as the influential Little Radio, KXLU, and Kill Radio.
Reviews
"Smart, edgy pop. The Hectors have a sense of humor to go along with their pop chops, which is only natural when you consider the L.A. quartet has influences ranging from the syrupy to Fugazi. It has the poppy 'Cold Star,' an anxious ditty called 'Carol and Sanford,' and the brooding 'I Drove All the Way From Bridgeport to Make It With You.' "
- LA Times
"All indie-joyful bubbles of Britpoppy gaze popping on waves of Pavement-Youth distortion. Bass and drums roll steady, grooving under the crush and glitter of the guitar, while the female vocals rise above, dynamic and controlled against the oceanic rush."
- Big Takeover Magazine
"Their songs [are] both edgy and easy to enjoy ... with actual melodies and honest-to-goodness dynamics. What a rare find. The Hectors' fierce guitar layering rightly deserves it be the focus - album highlight 'A Million Fingers' showcases the interplay between lead Robert Bonilla's and Dinner's guitars, dynamic and ominous. The Hectors' second release, 'Sometimes They Collide,' is impressive, and puts the band in good position to get snapped up by a serious label. The Hectors have successfully fleshed out the skeleton of shoegaze into a serious pop force, and future work from this band is sure to be as enjoyable and expansive as this EP is."
- Mr. Mammoth
"An appropriately regal indie rock team supports this ambitious and refreshingly inspired debut. Throughout 'Sometimes They Collide', guitars strobe like brilliant pulses of emotion and a bass throbs thickly within the unrelenting energy from the drums. The five-song EP moves quickly and singer/guitarist Corinne Dinner’s vocals stand up alongside frontwoman monoliths like an early Liz Phair, circa Whip-Smart ... the foursome are a symbol for competence meets catchiness meets inspiration. It’s an aptly titled debut: 'Sometimes They Collide' — and make a huge impact."
- Performer Magazine
"Their music is built upon a rock solid rhythm section surrounded in shimmering, epic, reverb drenched guitars, all topped off by the powerful soaring vocals of Corinne Dinner. Produced by the band themselves, the sound is crisp, melodic and powerful and one you'll want to play loud for sure."
- Bag of Songs
"The band doesn't rehash, they skillfully emulate and translate, and they do it oh so well. Lead singer/guitarist Corinne Dinner has one of those gripping, strong-yet-endearing female voices that gets immediately under your skin. Add to that an anxious dual guitar attack from guitarist Robert Bonilla, and you've got a recipe for infectiously catchy indie pop that seems timeless in its scope."
- Mish Mash
"Sometimes They Collide is the perfect listening music for those late night, post-pie jaunts though Hollywood, provided you keep said jaunts EP length. Equal parts Karen O and Autolux, The Hectors bring Southern Californian sun-baked glitter glamour to traditional pop melodies. Light enough to be carried away on an unseasonably warm spring breeze and interesting enough for repeat listens."
- Confessions of a Would-Be Hipster
"Long, droning riffs and walls of sound layer 'Sometimes They Collide,' the spaced-out EP from L.A.'s The Hectors. Blending dreamy guitars with simple melody - a concept underestimated by most bands - is The Hectors' specialty. Tracks like 'A Million Fingers' and 'I Drove All the Way from Bridgeport To Make It With You' are filled with the drama of shoegaze along with the optimism of indie pop."
- My Big Mouth Strikes Again
"Reasons to start a blog: Because you get to cultivate relationships with talented artists and labels who share music with you that you otherwise wouldn't hear! The Hectors are yet another pop band from L.A., but I dig their music and I dig their sensibilities. Humble, humorous and fun. Check it out."
- Berkeley Place
"It reflects in the quartet's sunset blend of Sonic Youth guitars and pulsing, Saturday night indie rock (check the smooth vocals from Dinner)."
- Detour Magazine
"Los Angeles has quite a few cool bands ... quite a few awesome bands, for that matter, and The Hectors fall into one of those categories. The new EP, 'Sometimes They Collide,' is certainly worth checking out. A meticulous, grandiose infusion of shoe-gaze, power-pop, and something grittier ... maybe some Radiohead-esque wall of sound? Or Pixies alt-rock? That 'X Factor' is the group's making point, I'd say. Check out a couple tracks below, but be sure to support these guys!"
- Bibabidi
"Aside from having one of the longest song titles we've run across in a while, [I Drove All The Way From Bridgeport To Make It With You] offers Corinne's beautifully strong vocals drifting through a steady, gaze-threaded guitar accent that had us listening repeatedly ... This is yet another great band that has me reevaluating all of those "cornfed" Midwestern barriers I've had when it comes to appreciating indie music from Southern California."
- Milk Milk Lemonade
"Sometimes They Collide [is] a suite of well-crafted & eminently listenable rock songs. Best of all, The Hectors have a sly sense of humor to leaven the hard charge of sound and which rewards closer listening."
- Anyone's Guess
"Ironically named after a 17th-century gang of British hooligans, the Hectors, on the other hand, make much more peaceful rock music, plying their listeners with cooing vocals and driving instrumentals."
- Flavorpill
Interviews
Detour Magazine
Radio Free Silver Lake
"...IS GOOD" on Kill Radio
