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"A patchwork of US rock influences, "The Boy Who Died Wolf" is an addictive surge of racy, chromium-plated tracks of absolute richness."
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4/5
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Highly Suspect is an American band founded around two twin brothers, who made their name by playing covers of Hendrix, Sublime and Pink Floyd. The band's deep rock roots date back to the 1970s, and they have already released their debut album in 2015, "Mister Asylum", which received two Grammy Award nominations in the categories of Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song for 'Lydia'. Highly Suspect, far from resting on its laurels, release a closely related album with the enigmatic title "The Boy Who Died Wolf" whose the single 'My Name Is Human' was again nominated for a Grammy Award this year.
The saturation welcomes the listener from the opening track with humanist lyrics underlined by a powerful bass with a fusion atmosphere, a American rock refrain in the pure tradition and verses with jerky phrasing a la Red Hot Chili Peppers. Far from being satisfied with this style, Highly Suspect has fun to play with kinds like on 'Little One' with grunge accents of Nirvana or on 'Viper Strike' whose punk style sticks to the committed discourse on racism and homophobia. "The Boy Who Died Wolf" is a journey to the best that America has to offer, as evidenced by the best track of the album 'Serotonia', which sounds like a good old The Doors, of which our young friends are the spiritual sons. This profound title will touch the soul of any 70's rock fan, between bluesy lull and Jim Morisson's inhabited exuberance in the vocals, all of it embellished with a beautiful guitar solo.
The band even dares a very personal and rather successful reinterpretation of 'Send Me An Angel' by Australian new wave band Real Life, originally released in 1983. This version slows down the initial rhythm while having the audacity to make it more coherent and rock. At the risk of losing some coherence, 'F.W.Y.T.' marks a foray into an almost hip hop atmosphere with its electro beat. 'Chicago' reminds us, if we still had to, that Americans are great songwriters when it comes to releasing touching ballads. 'Wolf' concludes the album with a hopeful track, illuminated by a new guitar solo with guest Tash Neal from The London Soul worthy of Jimmy Hendrix.
It is necessary to underline the intelligence of the arrangement which proposes alternatively calmer tracks making the listening very pleasant and not tiring, besides a very fine production using saturation and amplitude. The voice of Johnny Stevens is vibrant. The mark of a great singer, he does not overdo in the most soothing tracks, as is unfortunately often the case. The Meyer brothers provide the rhythm impeccably, adapting to the multiple styles of the album.
What can we say except that Highly Suspect has just released a little bomb of addictive US rock whose compositions don't go in the demonstration, rich, emotional and captivating from start to finish. The counterpart is that the listener will have to get used to the idea that no track resembles the previous one and that several listenings will be necessary to tame this musical snake. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. My Name Is Human
02. Look Alive, Stay Alive
03. Little One
04. For Billy
05. Serotonia
06. Postres
07. Send Me An Angel (real Life Cover)
08. Viper Strike
09. F.w.y.t.
10. Chicago
11. Wolf
LINEUP:
Johnny Stevens: Chant / Guitares
Rich Meyer: Basse / Backing Vocals
Ryan Meyer: Batterie / Backing Vocals
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READERS
4/5 (1 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (1 view(s))
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