High Strung - These Are The Good Times
by Andrew Carver
published: 2 / 9 / 2003
Label:
Select Label
Format: CD
intro
Solid "hardhitting guitar crunch and energetic vocals" on debut album from "quartet of cheeky chappies from Detroit"
A quartet of cheeky chappies from Detroit, The High Strung now reside in New York. They wisely headed back to the Motor City and engineering genius Jim Diamond’s Ghetto Recorders to lay down the 13 tracks on 'These Are Good Times', and the result is hardhitting guitar crunch and energetic vocals on their zippy debut. The lyrics are usually funny-cheeky — “Come on Loretta, let me put my free hand up your sweater” and “The neighbours say your folks are high again” are but two examples. Combined with the sometimes cartoonish singing, jumping mod-pop music, and the occasional “Whoo!”, they lead one to the invariable conclusion that the High Strung have listened to, enjoyed and studied Supergrass’ 'I Should Coco' with close attention (I believe I heard the occasional Beatles cop as well). They could certainly fit well on any bill containing the Figgs, Sloan, the Sights, or Moods for Moderns. These times are indeed good; the only possible quibble is that they might want to cut back on the sugary breakfast cereal ....
Track Listing:-
1 Wretched Boy2 Show a Sign of Life
3 Ain't That Something
4 The World's Smallest Violin
5 Throwaway
6 It's On
7 Stares Everywhere
8 The Songbird
9 I Got Frustration
10 Cocksure
11 Real Nice Boy
12 Rah Rah Rah!
13 If the Night...
digital downloads
most viewed articles
current edition
Robby Krieger - Set The Night on Fire, Living, Dying, And Playing Guitar with The DoorsBoomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Lida Husik - Interview
Cathal Coughlan - Interview
Rick Wakeman - Interview
Peter Doherty and Frederic Lo - Cavern Club, Liverpool, 27/3/2022
Cliff Richard - Not Fade Away
Simon Bromide - Interview
Candlelight Tribute to Coldplay - Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, 1/4/2022
Wolfgang Flur - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Rupert Wates - For The PeopleBanjo Jen - Fine Line
Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri - The Long Ride Home
Bonham-Bullick - Bonham-Bullick
Dead South - Easy Listening for Jerks Parts 1 and 2
Family - A Song for Me
Loop - Sonancy
Stereophonics - Oochya!
John Mayall - The Sun is Shining Down
Weather Station - How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Adrian P
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Carl Bookstein
Chris O'Toole
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank