High Spirits
You Are Here

I tend to whine when I get new albums that has a dated sound since there isn't any good reason why you should do an album that sounds like it's been recorded without any budget considering the equipment available today. At the same time I have to admit that there is something artistic around it, like photographing in black and white or something - you can aim for the best or you can do it "old school" with an artistic touch. The problem, though, is that it's very difficult to be artistic if there is a lot of competition around the artsy ideas unless you have a very good product. And I have to say that High Spirit has a pretty good product.

This is the third album by the Americans, or the American as Chris Black kind of makes everything in this band. He plays everything from Aruba to the tuba, had it only been a tuba in High Spirit, but all the instruments there is at least. The music isn't overly complicated, so it's not like he's being superhuman because he does everything on the album, but he does what he does very well getting a nice flow in the music and that's hard enough to make well.

'You Are Here' is no longer than 36 minutes, and this feels a bit shorter too due to the many high speed songs swooshing by. It's funny that I've seen the second track being called a ballad, considering how I Need Your Love is faster than most of the high speed power metalers Edguys songs on their last album. However, High Spirits is not just stuck in top gear on this album, there is also a certain amount of craftsmanship that is pretty impressive despite its simplicity. The flow is probably the thing that impresses me the most and as far as I can tell there are no awkward cross points hindering the flow or slowing it down. In my mind it's what makes this album as interesting as it is, how it just keeps going and going, without even stopping when changing tracks - like a medley swimmer just changing style by the exchange and then kicking off in full speed again.

If we take out the old magnifying glass and check the details there are some room for pointing fingers and I'm pretty sure people will agree with me that there are some details to fix if you want to. The sound quality sounds like it comes from the late 70's or early 80's. The guitars are as simple as they were from that era as well with the music so straight and uncomplicated and also played on speakers as primitive as a calculator. However, if it's a smartphone you want then you're really on the wrong path. This album does not have that rounded and shiny facade with buttons hidden in the screen that could change in to a million different commandos. This album is more like ten digits and the same amount of other buttons because the band is still stuck in the calculator era, or the method of proceeding photographs from a roll of film in a dark room. Their albums are the film that has limited and not to mention lengthy editing possibilities compared to the digital files on the momeory card that most photographers use today with limitless editing possibilities. In the end I'm pretty sure there are those who rather look at the craftsmanship of an analogue photo than the technical perfection in a digital photo. High Spirit is definitely an analogue photo - a bit grainy, not completely in focus and not perfect but 'You Are Here' is still an amusing album to hear.

My favorite song on this album is the opening When The Lights Go Down and then also The Last Night. However, most of the songs are working very well on this album and most of all I think the totality works - the complete package so to say. But if you pluck the peaches from the pears and make a mix tape they are not as impressive anymore. So in the end I think 'You Are Here' is a good album but like all artsy stuff it won't speak to everyone.

I enjoy listening to 'Yoy Are here', I think it feels genuine and happy and brisk - and considering it's done with analogue film it's pretty well made as well. But if we're honest I must say their result might be good but not particularly difficult to match if you use the 40 mpx full frame cameras and know your photoshop. I'm not saying 'you Are Here' doesn't deserve some credit, but in the end it's not that special.

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