The High Strung’s latest LP, Moxie Bravo, came out in September, but it wasn’t until last night’s record release party at Mac’s that us kids in the greater Lansing area could get our grubby little hands on the band’s latest nugget of psych-tinged retro rock. Here’s two songs from Moxie Bravo and one from 2003’s These Are Good Times.
The High Strung-A Real Meal Ticket (buy Moxie Bravo from Amazon.com)
Fuzz and three part harmonies layered over frontman/songwriter Josh Malerman’s Ray Davies-esque character study of a workaholic who’s “been this way since his mother’s womb”.
The High Strung-N Over C (Buy)
These Are Good Times can feel a little frenzied; its 13 songs clock in at a little over 32 minutes. On Moxie Bravo, tempos and distortion are periodically scaled back and the melodies beneath revealed. As Malerman told me before the show, “we’ve had a lot of prettier songs in our napsack over the years, but then for some reason with [“N Over C”] we were able to do a pretty one that still moves.” Side note: Does anyone know what chemistry equation the title comes from?
The High Strung-Throwaway (Buy These Are Good Times from Amazon.com)
High Strung bassist Chad Stocker’s pentatonic fretboard flights inspire all sorts of insecurities in my bass-playing head. It’s also very hard not to yell along with the song’s “What’s the score/What’s the score” refrain while in public (though I’m certain it would prove very appropriate in various venues of sport).
You can’t get the complete High Strung picture unless you see them live; but take heart, they still maintain a pretty healthy touring schedule though they’re not quite the road warriors they used to be (four straight years on the road!). The band will be wrapping up its year end tour with a Dec. 22 show at the Basement in Nashville w/ the Hotpipes and Boys & Girls.
(Also watch the Big Green in January for a full-length profile on the band by yours truly)
