A few weeks ago a dear friend of
Louder Now e-mailed us a music video. 24 hours later we had played that video
roughly a million and one times. That video was Highly Suspect’s Lydia which has now been released as
track three on the New York Trio’s incredible debut album Mister Asylum.
Made up of
Johnny Stevens on vocals and guitar, and twins Ryan (drums) and Rich Meyer
(bass) Highly Suspect are quickly becoming the worldwide ones to watch this
year. Hailing from Brooklyn New York, they carry that tell-tale home-grown
sound but have far exceeded expectations with this spectacular record.
Opening and
title track Mister Asylum is the
introduction to end all introductions. It’s dirty as all hell and filled to the
brim with grit but, and this is THE thing with Highly Suspect, it’s the catchiest
thing you’ll have heard this year.
The same
goes throughout the record but is by and far the most evident in Lydia. I know I’ve said it before but,
quite simply, I am in love with this song. Amongst several hundred other
things, it showcases pure lyrical genius and has an almost hypnotising video to
accompany.
Sometimes I
fall into the heinous crime of neglecting the bassist. Well, there is no way on
earth that would be possible to do with Highly Suspect. Rich Meyer is about to
be fast-tracked into the Bassist Hall of Fame for sure. The bass lines in Lydia, Bath Salts
& Bloodfeather (I would go on but that list is also known as ‘the
tracklist’) give a beastly rock quality that you are compelled to grime to.
But if you
prefer your rock to leave you sobbing like you’ve never sobbed before then I
point you towards Mom, a record that
maintains its heavy and thrashing place in the world but, just listen to those
lyrics.
It’s actually
also a prime example of the slinkier and saucier guitar riffs that are
distorted in touches to match those chunky bass lines and complete what is
potentially the sexiest instrumental line up of the decade.
So
essentially what we’re saying is that this is one of the most impressive debuts in a long, long time and with pretty epic tours coming up with Black Stone
Cherry and Halestorm it seems certain that this is just the beginning of a pretty
epic future.
Highly
Sexy. Highly Spectacular. Highly Suspect everyone.
