A fairly new band that made a runaway entry into the Grammy Awards nominations this year – it seems Highly Suspects has just begun their winning streak. The band ran in the nominations race alongside big names like Muse, Florence and the Machines and Alabama Shakes, and two big category nominations for a fairly unknown band itself is an impressive feat. Yes, not one but two nominations in important categories. While their album “Mister Asylum” was nominated in the Best Rock Album category, their song “Lydia” earned a nomination for the Best Rock Song. So, what is so special about Highly Suspect that they are creating quite some ripples this early in their career? We wonder….
Okay, I’ll admit I hadn’t being paying much attention to this band before they earned the Grammy nominations, and only decided to check them out carefully when they suddenly became the talk of the town. My first impression (before listening to their songs) had been that they might be just another band trying to hard to be the next big thing in the music scene, one that were probably giving more thought to their marketing than their musicianship. But, I must say when I did get around to listening to their songs, I was pleasantly surprised! I got through one round of listening without any skips in the process and was left asking for more.
Here’s what I think is definitive of their sound – guitar and riff driven, heavy drives, and a hard inclined sound. If you ask me to pick a similar sounding band, it’ll be hard but I’ll say it’s somewhere between Foo Fighters, Black Keys and a little bit of Arctic Monkeys. Unlikely combination, I admit. And, that’s what cut through to me. The band is clearly houses in the hard rock category, but the vocal style in my opinion sets it apart. And, I quite like that. Vocalist Johnny Stevens is my hero in this one, he is bringing an altogether new flavor to the table!
If you are starting out with this band, I’ll highly recommend it and “Lydia” is your go-to signature track that surely will convert you to a Highly Suspect adherent. I cannot help but mention the video too; it’s been exquisitely shot in my opinion and brings out the apathy of the music. Does Highly Suspect keep up their fresh sounding vibe, I definitely do not highly suspect that the band has a long way to go!
