Brain Candy (album)

Not to be confused with the 1996 film Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy or the 2003 TV series Brain Candy.

Brain Candy is the third studio album from Australian duo Hockey Dad.^[8] The album was released on 31 July 2020 by Farmer & The Owl and debuted at number 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

Brain Candy
Studio album by Hockey Dad
Released	31 July 2020
Studio	Robert Lang (Shoreline, Washington)[1] Western Australia
Genre	Rock[2]
Length	45:06
Label	Farmer & The Owl, BMG
Producer	John Goodmanson
Hockey Dad chronology
Blend Inn (2018) Brain Candy (2020) Live at the Drive In (2021)
Singles from Brain Candy
"I Missed Out" Released: 15 November 2019[3] "Itch" Released: 14 February 2020[4] "In This State" Released: 17 April 2020[5] "Good Eye" Released: 11 June 2020[6] "Germaphobe" Released: 31 July 2020[7]

The album was nominated for Best Album at the 2021 Rolling Stone Australia Awards.^[9]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
NME	[2]

Mark Deming form AllMusic said "[Hockey Dad] have gained a bit in the way of chops over the space of four years, and they certainly know their way around the studio better; the guitar, bass, and keyboard overdubs give the album a fuller and more satisfying sound without squeezing the spontaneity out of the tracks, and the melodies possess a bit more complexity, adding additional layers that make the results sound a touch more grown up than before." Deming concluded saying "Brain Candy isn't kid's stuff, but rather the word of two guys determined to make adulthood work for them without spoiling everything, and Hockey Dad hit that target with flying colors."^[10]

Ali Shutler from NME said the album is "A departure from their scrappy origins, this record is a big, grown-up collection of forward-thinking rock gems. Sure, it might not be as chaotic or feel as grimy as what's come before, but it's a deliberately larger-than-life affair. With Brain Candy, all bets are off: Broader, more colourful and with a lot more to say, it shows Hockey Dad are ready to take on the world."^[2]

Track listing

Brain Candy track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"In This State"	3:02
2.	"I Missed Out"	3:33
3.	"Milk in the Sun"	2:59
4.	"Good Eye"	3:54
5.	"Germaphobe"	3:24
6.	"Itch"	4:54
7.	"Heavy Assault"	2:45
8.	"Nestle Down"	3:37
9.	"Tell Me What You Want"	3:11
10.	"Dole Brother"	2:45
11.	"Keg"	3:13
12.	"Reno"	3:50
13.	"Looking Forward to the Change"	4:19
Total length:		45:06

All music is composed by Zach Stephenson and William Fleming

Personnel

Musicians

Hockey Dad

• Zach Stephenson – vocals, guitar
• Billy Fleming – drums

Technical

• John Goodmanson – production

Charts

Chart performance for Brain Candy

Chart (2020)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[11]	2

References

1. Newstead, Al (17 April 2019). "Hockey Dad heading overseas to begin recording new album". abc.net.au. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
2. Shutler, Ali (30 July 2020). "Hockey Dad – Brain Candy review: Windang duo drop the scrappiness and go big". NME. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
3. Newstead, Al (15 November 2019). "First Spin: Hockey Dad's "I Missed Out" pounds FOMO into riff-meat". ABC. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
4. Newstead, Al (14 February 2020). "First Spin: Hockey Dad channel big '90s vibes on 'Itch', announce new album". ABC. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
5. Newstead, Al (16 April 2020). "First Spin: Hockey Dad share new song "In This State", delay new album". Triple J. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
6. Bruce, Jasper (11 June 2020). "Hockey Dad share "Good Eye" the new single from upcoming album". NME. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
7. Bruce, Jasper (31 July 2020). "Hockey Dad share new album Brain Candy and video for "Germaphobe"". NME. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
8. "Brain Candy by Hockey Dad". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
9. "Tash Sultana, Tkay Maidza, and Tame Impala Lead Rolling Stone Australia Awards Winners". Rolling Stone Australia. 31 March 2021. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
10. Brain Candy at AllMusic
11. "Australiancharts.com – Hockey Dad – Brain Candy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 January 2021.