The High Court – Puppet Strings
Release Date: July 24, 2007
Record Label: I Surrender Records
I think it’s safe to say that when your band’s name is a thinly veiled nod to the old sticky-icky, then subtlety and finesse are not going to be two of your strongest suits. And whether it be the playful darkness of Puppet Strings’ cover art or The High Court’s (THC) brand of dirty dance-rock, these themes and mentalities permeate and create an alluring shtick for the guys. So, at least they are consistent. But how does their music fare in the process?
From the outset of Puppet Strings, listeners will initially be quick to note passing similarities to Fall Out Boy or Panic! at the Disco. However, these comparos are a little too simplistic, since The High Court is a far more rough-hewn incarnation than either of its uber-polished scene brethren. That is both good and bad, depending on the context and songs in which they deviate. It really works stylistically when THC gives us a little TMI in their lyrical themes (“2 Much Love for 1 Woman”) or when they tackle subjects that TRL sweethearts wouldn’t dare tread upon (“After the Climax”) – a bold commentary on sex and abortion. However, it is just as easy to yearn for a little more sparkle and sheen in their delivery all the same. Frontman “JB” sounds fine enough when he dials his vocals back with a little restraint, as he does on the album’s earlier tracks. But the initialed singer seems quite anxious to bust out of this imaginary shell and subsequently ends up spastically belting out his shrill stories (“Whisper to the Clouds”). The end result is kind of annoying, actually, since the point man sounds like a second-rate Brendon Urie or Gabe Saporta doing a third-rate FOB karaoke performance. Also, noticeable absent is the band’s ability to construct catchy and memorable hooks. Outside of “Payback”, the band shows little aptitude for giving up the pop sugar listeners are craving, and instead, we get cringe-worthy choruses like that of “The Refresher Course.”
This is not to say that all of The High Court’s presentation is lacking, because they still do have some big support structures holding them up. First and foremost, the music on Puppet Strings is at times miles above any of the band’s contemporaries, primarily due to its resounding creativity. The riffs on “2 Much Love for 1 Woman” sound like they could almost be Tom Morello-influenced, while the entire intro to “The Refresher Course” – guitar riffs, bass line, and drums – is simply one of the raddest musical exhibitions you will hear this year. Actually, it bears mentioning that Denny Carvell’s work on the skins is quite constantly noteworthy, as a keen ear will pick out just how much his percussion work anchors the toe-tapping nature of the boys’ tunes. And in addition to the band’s music, it is likewise easy to appreciate the lyrical approaches which are blunt, crass, sexy, and really just interesting in general. The wordplay suffers at times and meanders into more elementary territory, but the overall concepts are still strong (except of course for the out-of-place emo-fest that is “Heaven on the Horizon”).
Overall, I am quite torn on my feelings for The High Court. So much of how I feel about the band is predicated on my mood for their type of music at any time. If I am going out to the bars with some friends, ready for a long night of partying, then hell yeah I can dig blasting Puppet Strings really loud with the windows down. But on my evening commute after a long day or work? Um, no thanks – it just gives me more of a headache. So, in essence, the record is worth checking out for its finer points, but don’t expect it to be your everyday soundtrack.
I rarely purchase CDs from bands in the scene, because I think many of them are generic. However, I bought THC a few weeks ago and I think it is a very good CD. The more I listen, the more it has grown on me.
I definitely recommend it.
Excellent, well-thought-out review. This album is about as generic as it gets.
to me a generic band is something like driving east or on a more popular level the new cartel..i just don't hear anything generic about these guys. possibly the vocals because they are comparable to that of panic at the disco or fall out boy..but overall i can't see how they'd be considered generic
to me a generic band is something like driving east or on a more popular level the new cartel..i just don't hear anything generic about these guys. possibly the vocals because they are comparable to that of panic at the disco or fall out boy..but overall i can't see how they'd be considered generic
Chalk it up to opinion. I just think that they don't sound at all original, and are far less talented than the bands that they're ripping off.
The last time I listened was a month ago, though, but I can't really see my opinion changing that much.
I really like this album, one of the best pop-punk albums i've hear in quite a time. Definitely set apart from bands like FOB and P!ATD if just for the song After The Climax and track 4 which was streamed on here which title escapes me now but was about the shooting in the amish community if i remember right.
This album deserves more recognition and publicity. One of the catchiest albums of the year from start to end. Worth checking out if you are a fan of the "pop-punk" or whatever you want to call it genre.
This album deserves more recognition and publicity. One of the catchiest albums of the year from start to end. Worth checking out if you are a fan of the "pop-punk" or whatever you want to call it genre.
Catchy? Really? I think that is the biggest thing lacking...after I turn this album off, I have no desire to listen to it at all.
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Chalk it up to opinion. I just think that they don't sound at all original, and are far less talented than the bands that they're ripping off.
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