Milwaukee, Wisconsin outfit High Gallows, Tim (guitar/vocals; Louie (guitar); Josh (bass) and Eric (drums), do not try to hide what they do with terms like post- this or proto-that they just simply tell us that they play "riff heavy stoner rock". Desert Psychlist thinks they do themselves somewhat of a disservice with this description, yes they are a riff heavy and yes they do play a form of stoner rock but they seem to have forgotten to add "very good" to the beginning of that description, two words that you will no doubt agree with when listening to their latest album "Eulogies"
High Gallows keep things fairly simplistic musically throughout "Eulogies" but don't go mistaking simple for basic, there is much to admire about the way High Gallows stick to their strengths on this album, those strengths being strong vocal melodies and ear-catching guitar refrains backed by a rhythm section who truly understand the meaning of groove. Not meaning to disagree with High Gallows description of their own music but the nine songs populating "Eulogies" probably owe more of a debt to 70's hard rock than they do 90's to the present day stoner rock as the balance of bluesy swagger against dirty desert fuzz tends to lean slightly more towards the former rather than it does the latter which, in Desert Psychlist's opinion, is no bad thing. Songs like the opening "Tampa" with its chunky guitar riffs and driving backbeat, "Swear To Change" and "If Ya Ain't" with their southern flecked boogie grooves and "Wrong Turns, Dead Ends" with its Electric Mary meets Thunder Horse vibe are further enhanced by searing solos and vocals that are pitched just the right side of gritty. The band even get to throw some lysergic textures and off kilter weirdness into the mix with the instrumental "Bear and Hads", a laid back slightly experimental piece that almost seems to be the bands way of saying "look we are not just one trick ponies", and they are right, they are not.
If you like your rock music with one foot in the past and the other in the present and with a groove so addictive it'll blow your mind well then get on High Gallows "Eulogies", the title might suggest solemnity and some of the lyrics might tackle some difficult subject matter but maaaan.. those grooves are life affirming.
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© 2023 Frazer Jones
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