The Secret Service (album)

The Secret Service is the fourth album released by British indie pop band The Hoosiers. It was released on 9 October 2015 by Crab Race^[1] and marks the band's first release since bassist Martin Skarendahl departed the line-up in July 2015.^[2]

The Secret Service
Studio album by The Hoosiers
Released	October 9, 2015 (2015-10-09)
Recorded	Konk Megashed Metropolis
Genre	Pop rock indie pop indie rock alternative rock
Length	42:35
Label	Crab Race
Producer	Ruadhri Ćushnan Alan Sharland Irwin Sparkes Sam Swallow
The Hoosiers chronology
The News from Nowhere (2014) The Secret Service (2015) Confidence (2023)
Singles from The Secret Service
"The Wheels Fell Off" Released: 17 July 2015 "Up to No Good" Released: 28 August 2015

Background and promotion

The Secret Service was originally intended to be a series of EPs, released throughout 2015. Owing to fan pressure, however, The Hoosiers made the decision to instead release the work as a full album.^[3][4] Despite this, it was announced in July 2015 that the album would be preceded by two EPs, both containing new material alongside live recordings.^[5][6] The first, titled The Wheels Fell Off was released on July 17,^[7] whilst the second, Up To No Good, was released on August 28.^[8]

Both of these EP's title tracks have also been released as singles, with both "The Wheels Fell Off"^[9] and "Up To No Good"^[10] receiving accompanying music videos.

To promote the release, the trio embarked on a UK tour between October and November 2015.^[11] They also appeared in various media, to discuss the release, including an hour-long interview on radio station 107 Meridian FM.^[12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Irish Times
Outline	7/10
Sputnik Music	3/5

Critical reaction to The Secret Service, and its accompanying EPs, was mixed.

Commenting on The Wheels Fell Off EP, Charlie Ginger Jones, of The Indiependent, commended the release for its "fun and upbeat" sound "that sets the standard high for the rest of the album."^[13] Reviewing the second EP, music review website cool music and things too praised the band, suggesting "Up To No Good" was "a particular highlight" and that the release was "a sign of great things to come."^[14]

Upon the album's full release, Alex Cabre, of Norwich-based Outline Magazine, was similarly positive about the release, scoring the album 7 out of 10. He noted The Secret Service captured The Hoosiers' "eccentric energy beautifully," whilst commending the record's "creamy vocals" and "tangy guitar licks."^[15]

Andrew Carless of The Irish Times gave a mixed review, praising "Wearing Down The Carpet", "Pristine" and "The Wheels Fell Off" as capturing "the same lively feel of the first two albums" but panning "The Most Peculiar Day Of Your Life" as leaving "a lot to be lyrically desired." He scored the album 3 stars.^[16]

Michael Bracken of Sputnik Music was more critical, however, suggesting the album was The Hoosiers' "least defined" release, owing to both the original plan to release the work as separate EPs and the departure of Skarendahl. Despite this, Bracken believed "there's a lot to like" about the record, awarding it a 3.0 "good" rating.^[17]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Pristine"	Alan Sharland, Irwin Sparkes, Sam Swallow	3:51
2.	"The Wheels Fell Off"	Sharland, Martin Skarendahl, Spakres, Swallow	3:29
3.	"Up to No Good"	Sharland, Sparkes, Swallow	4:34
4.	"I Will Be King"	Sharland, Sparkes, Swallow	4:56
5.	"Dancers in the Dark"	Sharland, Skarendahl, Spakres, Swallow	3:37
6.	"The Most Peculiar Day of Your Life"	Sharland, Sparkes, Swallow	3:18
7.	"Runs in the Family"	Sharland, Sparkes, Swallow	4:10
8.	"The Secret to Happiness"	Sharland, Sparkes, Swallow	4:44
9.	"(Don't Make) Eye Contact"	Sharland, Skarendahl, Spakres, Swallow	2:11
10.	"Wearing Down the Carpet"	Sharland, Sparkes, Swallow	5:18
11.	"(My) Secret Service"	Sharland, Skarendahl, Spakres, Swallow	2:27
Total length:			42:35

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Secret Service.^[18]

The Hoosiers Alan Sharland - Vocals, drums, percussion, production Irwin Sparkes - Vocals, guitar, bass, synth, production, engineering Sam Swallow - Vocals, keyboard, bass, mellotron, piano, bass synth, trumpet, thumb piano, rhodes, production

Additional personnel Ruadhri Ćushnan - Production, mixing Sam Harper - Engineering, mixing Andy "Hippy" Baldwin - Mastering Carl Glover - Design, photography

References

1. "The Secret Service by The Hoosiers on Apple Music". Apple Music. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
2. "The Hoosiers". Facebook. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
3. "The Secret Service - The Hoosiers". The Hoosiers. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
4. "The Hoosiers return with new album - Daily Echo". Southern Daily Echo. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
5. "Album Number 4 - The Secret Service - The Hoosiers". The Hoosiers. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
6. Seekings, Megan (18 July 2015). "cool music and things: ALBUM NEWS: The Hoosiers - 'The Secret Service'". cool music and things. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
7. "Stream The Wheels Fell Off by thehoosiers - Listen online for free on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
8. "Up To No Good - EP by The Hoosiers - Spotify". Spotify. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
9. "The Hoosiers - The Wheels Fell Off [Official Video] - YouTube". YouTube. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
10. "The Hoosiers - Up To No Good [Official Video] - YouTube". YouTube. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
11. Perryman, Francesca (19 September 2015). "Al Sharland from The Hoosiers talks UK tour and new album - Berkshire Live". Berkshire Live. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
12. "Stream Guy Bellamy Meridian FM Hoosiers Special by thehoosiers - Listen online for free on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
13. Ginger Jones, Charlie (19 July 2015). "EP Review: The Wheels Fell Off // The Hoosiers : The Indiependent". The Indiependent. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
14. Seekings, Megan (29 August 2015). "cool music and things: LISTEN: The Hoosiers release 'Up To No Good' EP". cool music and things. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
15. Cabre, Alex (26 October 2015). "REVIEW:The Hoosiers - The Secret Service : Album Reviews - Outline Magazine : Norwich". Outline Magazine. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
16. Carless, Andrew (16 October 2015). "Album Reviews: Mirrors reflects glowing endorsements". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
17. Bracken, Michael (22 July 2019). "The Hoosiers - The Secret Service (album review) - Sputnikmusic". Sputnik Music. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
18. The Secret Service (liner notes). The Hoosiers. Crab Race. 2015. CR013LP.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)