You don’t have to be from New York to have an image in your mind about Brooklyn. It is a place with a very distinct culture, and a unique collective personality. There is a cool, tough image that many people envision when they think of the vibrant borough of NYC. In the case of Brooklyn rockers, Highly Suspect, they ooze cool from every pore with their single, “Lydia” off of their upcoming album, Mister Asylum.
Neither the band’s website nor their Facebook page give a great deal of information about them, but scanning through their updates, it is readily apparent that they lack the brashness that many Brooklynites wear as a badge of honor. Perhaps, it is due to the fact that they are transplants from Cape Cod, or maybe it’s because they really are surprised by the attention that their music is getting. Either way, it’s refreshing to witness a band that is truly grateful to hear what others have to say about them. Showing unbridled jubilance over getting radio airplay just makes you want to root for them even more.
This power trio didn’t start out with the intention of creating a sound that defies being easily categorized, but they have done so just the same. For some bands, blurring the genre lines can be risky because radio and media don’t know what to do with them. In the case of Highly Suspect, the opposite is likely to be true, as they stand out amongst both the Active and Alternative Rock genres as something fresh and different. The attention that “Lydia” is getting is proof positive that music fans just crave great songwriting and musicianship; they don’t care about how things “fit.”
Rather than mention the bands that Highly Suspect has been compared to, or share some of the unlikely comparisons that came to mind upon listening to the song several times over, I suggest that you check out “Lydia” for yourself, and keep this band on your radar as one to watch in the coming months.
I saw Highly Suspect about a year ago in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Loved the sound and the guys in the band couldn’t be cooler. I’m glad to hear they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve. You guys rock!
Thanks for the comment, Todd. Can’t wait to check them out live!