Hew Debut’s “Your Version”
Album Review by Sarah Hobson
Hew, an emo band from Houston, debuted their first album “Your Version” on July 10, 2026. The group celebrated the 11-song release with a show at Bohemeo’s in early September, followed by a regional tour through Austin, Denton, and Oklahoma City.
Hew started in 2024 and band members are Lindsay Minton (vocals, guitar); Kris Hoffman (bass); Mercy Harper (bass VI); and Amador "Moe" Lerma (drums).
The band’s website describes the album as songs about family, memory, belief, doubt, and the space between what happened and what people say happened. “Songwriting for me is usually about trying to find or describe meaning in my lived experiences,” said Minton. Below is the full track list:
Needle Eye
Paper Fingers
Frozen Scarecrow
Lie In It
Lights Out
Reconciliation
How This Ends
Your Version
EMDR
Are You Breathing?
Criss Cross
The opening track, “Needle Eye,” starts with a simple vocal and a synth played by John Allen Stephens. The other instruments gradually creep in, building to a crescendo. “We wanted the start of the record to feel surprising,” adds Harper.
Minton adds, “There’s also a spiritual thread running through the record, especially in ‘Needle Eye,’ ‘Paper Fingers,’ and ‘Reconciliation.’ Those songs are less about faith and more about questioning, searching, ritual, and wondering whether there’s some larger meaning to any of it.”
“‘Lights Out’ is one of our older songs, from demos we recorded with Jay Littleton before we even played a show,” said Harper. “I think it might be the first song we did where Kris added one of his signature heavy parts—in the bridge. Kris and I play the part in unison, then I riff on it for a little solo thing before we jump back to unison. It’s a lot of fun to play this one out, sometimes we get a circle pit.”
“‘Your Version’ and ‘Lie In It’ are both about a family member who has spent stretches living off the grid, on the streets, and in and out of jail, and trying to understand the version of their life that makes sense to them,” continues Minton. “‘EMDR’ revisits a childhood memory I returned to during EMDR therapy.”
“‘How This Ends’ and ‘Criss Cross’ are about my life and my love—how I may feel imperfect, but what we’ve built together feels perfect to me,” added Minton. Harper adds, “I think every release Lindsay and I have done has a ballad, and ‘Criss Cross’ fits the bill on this record. I came in with a lot of the riffs for this one, noodly licks inspired by the Owls that Moe bounces back with jazzy Kinsella-ish drums. Lindsay’s lyrics for this one make me melt.”
In late October, the band is traveling to Gainesville, Florida, for “The Fest,” headlined by major acts like The Bouncing Souls and PUP. “It’s like a big family reunion for the DIY punk community, and I’m really looking forward to it,” says Harper. “I think we’ll do a tour of some kind in spring 2027, and in between I’d like to play more out of town shows in Texas.”
Minton concludes, “We are undoubtedly a DIY band at heart. No pay to play, no management, no BS. We book our own shows and take care in choosing the places we play and who we play with. But DIY, to me, has never meant doing it alone—it means being part of a community of people who show up for each other. The way you treat people, the relationships you build, and the care you bring to the scene matter more than you think. Show up, support other bands, be easy to work with, and contribute to the kind of scene you actually want to be part of. That’s the stuff that lasts.”
“Your Version” was recorded at Third Coast Recording Co. in Houston and mixed by John Allen Stephens. The album was mastered by Dan Coutant. Performances include Lindsay Minton (guitar and vocals); Kris Hoffman (bass); Mercy Harper (Bass VI); Amador Lerma (drums); and John Allen Stephens (synth on “Needle Eye”). Album artwork is by Jordan Clough with design and layout by Karl Kuehn.
Follow the band at hewhou.neocities.org/ or on Instagram @hew.hou.
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