The Three O’Clock – The Hidden World Revealed

Is That Too Serious?

Thirty years after Los Angeles band The Three O’Clock had a taste of short-term fame with their ’80s pop Paisley Underground songs, original members Michael Quercio, Louis Gutierrez, and Danny Benair, along with Adam Merrin on keys, are back with The Hidden World Revealed, a twenty-track album featuring new spins on old songs, classic hits, and rarities.

Something in between ’60s psychedelic folk rock and ’90s grunge (mixed with catchy pop beats) is where to find The Three O’Clock’s music. Some of their popular singles, such as “Jet Fighter” and “With A Cantaloupe Girlfriend,” are included on the album, as well as alternative versions of classics like “When Lightning Starts,” an upbeat pop song, and “I Go Wild,” which takes a more lo-fi, alternative approach compared to the original.

“Sound Surrounds” is a demo recording and is just as trippy as it ever was. “Why Cream Curdles in Orange Tea” is a previously unissued song so raw it sounds like the first take. And ”Jennifer Only” is an actual home demo, an all-treble, no-bass, fast-paced song that could have ended up on the “Clerks” soundtrack. Follow-up track “Girl With The Guitar (Says Oh Yeah),” another demo, takes it down about ten notches with a stripped-down acoustic ballad from Quercio.

If you were a big fan of The Three O’Clock back in the day, it’s a disservice to not pick up the reunion album thirty years post-breakup. The future of the band is uncertain, but The Hidden World Revealed is a nice blast from the past that’s intriguing enough to force your kids into asking what you’re listening to. Always a good thing.