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 and marks the band's first release since bassist Martin Skarendahl departed the line-up in July 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. Despite this, it was announced in July 2015 that the album would be preceded by two EPs, both containing new material alongside live recordings. The first, titled The Wheels Fell Off was released on July 17, whilst the second, Up To No Good, was released on August 28.

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

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

Critical reception
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." 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."

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."

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.

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.

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Secret Service.

The Hoosiers
 * Alan Sharland - Vocals, drums, percussion, production
 * Irwin Spakres - 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