Halfway to Gone
Halfway to Gone

April 2004
Released: 2004, Small Stone Records
Rating: 5.0/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Woah. Talk about your exponential improvement! The last time I heard from this band of Dixie rockheads was 2001’s HIGH FIVE debut. In the interim they released their sophomore disc, SECOND SEASON which inexplicably past me by without notice. Now that they’re back in possession of this self-titled album, all I can do is kick myself for missing out on their last one. Why? Because this album is far and away one of the best Southern rock albums that I’ve ever heard, and an improvement on their debut in every way.

Lou Gorra still growls, howls, and sings his way through the album while the band bashes out their utterly mesmerizing riffs. The main difference between this and the debut though is that the songwriting has tightened up considerably. Gone are the somewhat meandering instrumentals of yesteryear, in their place the band inserting some of the catchiest riff rock to come out of the US of A. Honestly, each and every song on here digs deep into you with hooks big enough to hang Moby Dick himself.

It helps that the band are adept musicians, despite the fact that they play a somewhat simple rock style. They are just as comfortable jamming on a classic rock riff (see the cover of Purple’s “Black Night”) and they are noodling around in jazz territory (the lounge-lizard lovin’ “Mr. Nasty Time”). In betwixt there’s a bunch of awesome riffs and melodies to be heard, and a whole bunch of ass to be kicked. The sum of it all adds up to one of the best albums of the year so far, and one that will definitely still be getting regular spins on my player come “Best of 2004” time.