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Whilst undoubtedly useful to a band when looking for an audience, genre pigeonholing is also the bane of their very existence, or at least, it usually is if you happen to ask them about it. So, that being the case, I'm going to skirt around pigeonholing The High Strung, and just say that they recorded 'These Are Good Times' with Jim Diamond in his Detroit studios, where recent records by The Mooney Suzuki and The White Stripes were also cut. That, in itself, should give you some kind of idea as to where The High Strung are coming from. On the whole it's playful stuff â?? from the cheeky Show A Sign of Life ("Come on Loretta/and let me put my free hand up your sweater") through to the dreamy almost-ballad If The Night. Admittedly it's nothing out of the ordinary, and the borderline-coarse lyrics do get a little too Moldy Peaches at times (another pointer for you, pigeonhole fans), but so what? It's summer [jeez, another late issue - Ed], and summer demands summertime records, and I'd take this over dreary Ibiza chill-out compilations anytime. Good records don't necessarily have to break down the walls of creativity â?? they just need to be good. A simple concept perhaps, but wonderfully realised here nonetheless.

Mike Diver
CWAS #13 - Autumn 2003

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