As far as emo/pop/rock bands go, The Higher has the potential to make waves within the scene with their recent release On Fire. Though the band notes R&B as one of their major influences and there are points on the album where genuine attempts at paying homage to the genre are evident, the execution is severely lacking. These guys are just better at producing emo-inspired dance beats with a pop twist. On Fire features some impressive tracks that illustrate the band’s propensity towards energetic, fun music. While a number of the songs on the album are far from lyrical masterpieces, songs like “Weapons Wired” and “Insurance?” are still fast paced, booty -shaking good tunes that are catchy enough to get stuck in your mind even if you don’t want them there. The songs are just that contagious. “Rock My Body” is a more rocked-out pop ballad that is fantastic up until the last few seconds, where the mood of the song is inevitably ruined by the unnecessary use of a voice synthesizer. Despite the bits and pieces on the album that don’t mesh, songs like “Guts” and “Pace Yourself” (which incidentally is a remix from Fallout Boy’s front man Patrick Stump) prove these guys have some depth to their musical madness. The Higher took a while to find their niche, but perseverance and creative determination have definitely helped them find their groove.
~ Brigitte B. Zabak
Buy Album from CD Universe
