The High Strung - Address Unknown

 

I was a late convert to Detroit's The High Strung as my 2019 review of Quiet Riots explains and I then embarked on a mission to grab everything. It is fair to say that few bands have touched me in that manner. You can read that review here. 

You only have to listen to the opening title track to understand why I became so obsessed. It is a thing of great beauty that just sends you into a a magnificent dream world, washing over you and then allows you to realise the delight that there are 11 songs to follow.

The band deliver beautifully played and arranged arrangements in their advanced Indie Pop that are pastoral at times, but cross into Piano Pop, Pop Rock, Psych Pop and even Americana. Yet they remain lyrically adept with arrangements that are very different in a musical world where so much is musically the same and trend led.

Although there isn't an XTC comparison here, the vibe is similar to the one you feel when listen to Skylarking. The absolute magnificence of a song like Telescope mixes Village Green type lyrics and verges on Toytown whilst remaining great Piano Pop.

Then there is the feel of 70s Classic Pop Rock on So Lonely, Basement Lear's Housemartins' nod and Yr Brother's 70s Country Rock feel. Lazy Days is almost 60s UK Beat, but could easily be West Coast Summer Pop. Run It Back is Ben Folds like Piano Pop with a killer chorus. 

Overcoat And Skies is beautifully put together Pop, yet Northern Pygmy Owl is splendid Americana. Just as Address Unknown opens the album wonderfully, there is similar strength in the closing Baroque Pop of The Pop which may be the best song on here, certainly atmospherically.

I've embedded three songs, but to be honest, I could have easily embedded all 12. This is an album that lots promise, but few deliver. It is everything that is great about I Don't Hear A Single. An album that all should listen to. Complex, yet simple to listen to. Intricate, yet full of hooks. Pop doesn't get any better. Truly Superb!

You can listen to the album on all the streaming sites. You can buy the album here and on the likes of Amazon. You listen to the full album song by song here. You can find out more about the band here. I am hoping that the band open up the listening part of Bandcamp and have more places to buy the album including the band's website shop. 

.......................................