Track Review: Hank Wood and The Hammerheads ‘You Could Have It’

After bursting onto the scene in 2011, punk band Hank Wood and the Hammerheads solidified their reputation as one of New York City’s best punk rock bands. Their latest release Heads 2-Song Cassingle features their song “You Could Have It,” ringing in the new year with some nihilistic aggression.  

Guitarist Logan Montana does not waste any time as he begins the song with energetic riffs and head banging beats well behind him. The song is energetic and raw with a rough edge that reminds me of prolific /punk rock bands such as The Stooges or The Hives.  

Lead singer Henry Wood’s voice is full-throated, coarse, and at times, delightfully demonic as he shouts the lyrics incoherently. The only words easy to make out are, “Fuck you! You can have it!”  Cathartic, empowering, and punchy lyrics.

For the rest of the song, the muddled lyrics are difficult to make out. What comes to the surface are simple and elementary: “See you through your fake hair people like you/Fuck you no ‘cause I’m over that too/Now you wanna have each other/Everybody’s gonna be friends forever.”

The simplicity of these songs packs a punch with good old in-your-face anger. 

“You Could Have It” a song that could accompany a police car chase scene after a bank heist, or be used as a motivating work out song. It’s full of raw energy that hits you and makes you want to shout and head bang along with them, even if you are alone in your own house.

Sean Kennerly from altcitizen.com described their music making him want to “bite the top off a can of beer and hit a LinkNYC with a sock full of quarters.”   He’s right: this music is powerful.