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Described as "Packing
more punch than a mouthful of wasabi." and damned if it ain't
true.
My eyes are still glistening after only the first few songs from this
punk rock aftershock-proving yet again that thunder in the East does
still exist!
Setting their standards "Hi", would that be accurate?
"Making the Road" is their follow up to "Angry Fist"
which first set the "standard" for this trio's terremoto-like rise
up the Japanese musical charts. Hey did we get past "Teenagers are
all Assholes" yet?
I'll have to go back to that one-what a song title! Now thinking back
to when. nah, maybe I'll leave it alone. Like many such punk artists,
there's always a clear message buried beneath the sarcasm or perceived
nonsense that gives the initial reaction when a song like that or
let's say a "Tinkerbell Hates Goatees"-well what do you know about
that!-where it's necessary to think first before passing judgment.
Yes thought combined with sheer disarray can indeed lead somewhere.
Lest we not assume however that Hi-Standard doesn't go after
their share of fun nor partake in moments of obnoxious behavior in
favor of some overt ideological wrestling. Or maybe they do, I don't
know. You'd have to figure somewhere among all eighteen of these songs
there'd be a little hint!
Better than halfway through and I don't think they've changed tempo
yet. just plug in and wail away at breakneck speed. Subtle hints of
melody find their way among a chorus or two as with "No Heroes"
where the gripe centers around illegitimacy and you can keep your
"nothing" you no good fuck up! Is it cliché to measure up the newer
punk rock to early style Bad Religion?
Hi-Standard's got issues here and they present them in a most
convincing way going so far as to even taunt the old "Green Acres"
theme song!
But wait, what have they done to Sabbath's "Changes" here?
Oh no, they're not gonna be
happy about this. But here's to hoping old Mr. Kishida doesn't pay
'em back for a little while yet so as to insure this latest threat
to societal comfort doesn't have a reason to slow down!
Released by Fat Records.
Review by Vinnie Apicella.
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The CD
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