The Forty-Fives - High Life High Volume

Genre rock Publisher Yep Roc Records External Links Official Site Yep Roc Records

Popular music tends to go in cycles, there are the enjoyable periods (the garage rock phase, which has subsided), outright terrible times and the I can't believe we have to live through that musical phase again (just pick one you hate of the many that returned uninvited). But, every once in a while, something comes along that is a breath of fresh air.

The Forty-Fives, however, are a day late and a dollar short, and their style of Nuggets-era garage rock paired with today's polish was dated before they finished the album artwork on High Life High Volume. This novel effort doesn't even get them near the echelon of today's revisionist garage rock bands such as The Hives, The White Stripes, and all the other The bands.

High Life features eleven tracks of uncanny same-sounding tunes, save for the one insincere ballad thrown into the mix midway through. After a few tracks, the songs all meld together. The band has typecast itself into a corner already by only allowing themselves to explore one specific genre. Nothing on this album gives a hint as to any kind of potential growth the band may have in their future, whether it be musically or lyrically. It's all up tempo rock numbers about partying, staying away from that sultry girl, and, obviously, love.

Which would be fine if it wasn't for the been-there, done-that manner in which the band performs them. If you're a permahappy person who needs to have some upbeat rock as background music, then this album would be perfect for you. No one would think to ask what band it was if they walked in on this album, because The Forty-Fives sound like most anything that's been come before in garage rock. The fact that High Life is polished to the core takes away any potential charm it would have garnered had it been recorded Albini-style.

If you have heard of The Forty-Fives, chances are you're a listener of the syndicated radio show "Little Steven's Underground Garage." Little Steven has been playing the band on and off for a number of years now, so it's not hard to see why the band garnered label attention. But, the Forty-Five's style of garage rock really is nothing more than simple bar rock. The members have enough talent to be playing original music, but not original enough to be considered anything short of disappointing.