Credit: Far Out / Sophia Metliss
Sun 30 August 2026 22:00, UK
Flowers in the rain and ice cream castle clouds all spring to mind when listening to Hutch, the self-professed “psychedelic twang-pop enthusiasts” from Brighton.
With an upbeat whirl of sound akin to a Eudaimonic version of John Lennon’s sacred strawberry fields, where everything is real, and rather pleasant, actually, the East Sussex four-piece have constructed a sumptuous sound. Consisting of Jack Pritchard, Dan Shepherd, Charlie Bogg, and Owen Bullock, the fledgling group emerged hot on the heels of lockdown and headed straight into their vibrant local music scene.
In fact, scenes and their importance are a central part of their outlook. While their sound might be layered and miasmatic, even on record, it is flush with the fuzz of the live experience. It has that hip 1960s tenet of feeling like it is part of something, and serving its specific mood. As the band proudly explain, it is all about “connection”.
The same can be said of the music that inspires them. So, following the release of their sophomore EP, Mrs Sunshine, we asked the blossoming band to take that core principle and share the joy in a very literal sense by partaking in our ‘The Best Record You’ve Never Heard‘ feature. The result was the Brighton boys shining a light on a sunny slice of San Fran indie from back in 2017.
Credit: Far Out / behindtheeyeoffifiHutch on Gord’s Horse by Cool Ghouls:
Hutch’s Jack Pritchard: “Cool Ghouls are a San Francisco band active between 2013 and 2022. They were one of the many bands I discovered through the amazing Manchester label ‘Melodic Records’. I used to listen to every release on that label when I was at university. Then, I came across Cool Ghouls.”
“They were like a garage rock version of the Beatles, with soaring harmonies and sublime songwriting. There really is a lot of good stuff in their catalogue; from ‘At George’s Zoo’ to ‘Animal Races’, even one of their singers, Ryan Wong, has some brilliant solo work, namely ‘Lead Paint’, which is the catchiest country-washed song I’ve heard in ages.”
“‘Gord’s Horse’ seems to be recognised by most who listen to the band as one of their most interesting and best albums. Recorded in their practice space in San Francisco’s decommissioned naval shipyard, and originally released only via cassette on their 2017 US tour (until Melodic Records gave it a European release), this album feels so well put together, but also playful and easy.”
“Having listened to their work before and after, I can definitely see these guys trying out a lot more sounds and soundscape ideas. Some sort of Tibetan sound-bowl can be heard in the opening track ‘Ring for the Mole’, layered amongst mellotron and acoustic guitar. And ‘Legs in September’, a long, plucky jam is overlaid with vocal samples and spiralling delays. A personal favourite moment in the playfulness of this album is in ‘Unionize’, where the song breaks down into a psych rock instrumental cover of the Sound Of Music classic ‘Favourite Things’.”
“It’s not all psych experimentation: the album is laced with absolute hits. ‘Gord’s Horse’ and ‘Only Grey’ being examples of the band’s fantastic collaborative songwriting and dual lead vocals. Creating almost McCartney-Lennon style double vocals. That, plus their ear for a good melody, keeps each song so entertaining.”
“Interestingly, as I was scouring the web to find out more about this album, Cool Ghouls seemed to have been quite vocal about it being a reaction to the rise of Fascism and political change at the time. It feels like a cosmic coincidence, as there is such a strong identity amongst artists today in Brighton and the UK who are opposing these far-right political voices in the mainstream media.”
“Just in the last month, Hutch have organised and performed a ‘Brighton Against Fascism’ event, with special guest political speakers and local bands and DJs coming together to unite against this growing political movement. Something about the connection here makes this album shine in a new way to me, even now.”
“I would, and frequently do, recommend this album. Between the songwriting expertise and the semi-serious tone, it never leaves you static for long. Cool Ghouls: Where are you? If you ever see this, just know there’s a small corner of Brighton that loves you still!”
A vital piece of political art that failed to capture the audience it deserved upon release, Hutch aren’t alone in hailing Gord’s Horse as a piece of art that continued to gain greater relevance.
The little-known garage rock effort is a Bay Area classic in the making, and it clearly inspired Hutch, who, fresh off the release of Mrs Sunshine, have a rich horizon ahead.
