Higher State - I Just Pretend/Ain't It Hard

  by Fiona Hutchings

published: 2 / 2 / 2013

---

Review

The Higher State bill themselves as the UK's 'leading exponents of West Coast folk-rock', I was not entirely sure what to expect from this 'monophonic 2-sider'. This single is, however, available as a new limited edition 7" with authentic UK-style push out centre, and in this day and age that is exciting. So I am sad that the music itself sounds neither new nor exciting. Putting me in mind of late 60's summer of love tracks, shades of the Beatles, maybe the Byrds and certainly the Searchers run through both tracks like a stick of rock. It is 60's folk pop by numbers and leaves me disappointed. I really wanted to like this but it is straightforwardly derivative of rather than inspired by.

Track Listing:-

1 I Just Pretend
2 Ain't It Hard

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/The-HIGHER-ST
https://www.reverbnation.com/thehigher

Label Links:-

http://staterecs.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/State-R