Tomatrax @TomatraxAU
Posted on the 27 November 2015
You could be forgiven for thinking this EP was a collection of lost recordings from the Animals or the Kingsmen. The songs sound like they were recorded back in the 60s with a vintage sound coming through in each track. There is something quite endearing and engaging about the music, there is a certain roughness to the sound that makes you feel like you've put on an old vinyl. The band have captured the charm of 60s pop rock with each track showing off a charming pop feel. At the same time the band put their own twists to the music with effective contrasts between rough rock and roll, sweet and slick pop, and a psychedelic backdrop, ensuring that something new and fresh is also on offer!
Chaos Ensures' brings out a vintage rock and roll sounding like a heavier version of the Beatles. The music is full of energy as it races along with a great lively feel. At the same time it is packed with charm and some infectiously catchy tunes. 'Ghost shadows' takes things to a heavier level with a raw and rough sound mixed with a subtle psychedelic hint. The track is full of interesting spacey sounds while also having a great rough and ready rock feel. 'First world problems' is a sharp psychedelic pop-rock tune. The music all fits together nicely in a slick and poppy fashion while the cool keyboards give the song a curious and intriguing edge. The EP closes with the cute and charming love tune 'Girl like you'.
This is a great EP with 6 lively songs packed with catchy tunes and intriguing sound scrapes.
Lapoplife
DANNA CAMPOS NOVEMBER 4, 2015
Pocas bandas pueden presumir de ser polifacéticas sin tener que cambiar absolutamente nada de su estilo. High Tiny Hairs es el nombre que lleva este proyecto bizarro y heterogénero que se define a sí mismo comogarage-psych, aunque en realidad lleva un poco de cada género de música disruptivo del siglo XX.
Desde tintes de surf-rock y rockabilly, hasta punk y rock psicodélico, la banda originaria de Minneapolis ofrece en su único y homónimo EP,High Tiny Hairs, una forma única de atrapar a cada fanático de las aleaciones musicales en canciones que no duran más de dos minutos y medio.
Aunque el nuevo proyecto de Ben Bachman, guitarrista de Fuck Knights y líder de Nightingales es ecléctico, lo cierto es que el lo-fi que lo ha caracterizado en cada una de sus bandas, aún es el género imperante en High Tiny Hairs.
Cuando uno escucha por primera vez esta propuesta (particularmente, en mi caso fue con la obertura de su EP, “Chaos Ensues”), da la sensación de que se ha sacado de lo más recóndito del núcleo terrestre una joya perdida, pues la banda aún está fuera del radar de los medios que dominan el discurso del periodismo musical anglosajón.
Si uno se quiere perder en el tiempo, por no mucho tiempo, High Tiny Hairs es el proyecto de música ideal para salir de la ya casi predecible agenda musical con la que los medios nos han asediado durante los últimos años.
Raised by Gypsies
Posted by Joshua Macala
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
While I initially requested this cassette I ended up with two other cassettes on Sir Gregory Records as well, a Fuck Knights cassette not on Sir Gregory Records and then a CD by Fuck Knights as well. Tracking them all down with links became somewhat difficult if only because Sir Gregory Records really only comes up via Google search as a Facebook page and their posts are a lot of "This cassette/record is out now!" with no links on how to buy it. It's nice to make an announcement about such a piece of music being released but give the people a way to buy it as well. I know Sir Gregory Records has some Fuck Knights releases, so what if I wanted to buy one of them? I'd have no idea how to do it (I emailed them through a third party) so my best advice to you is simply message their Facebook page for purchasing info.
High Tiny Hairs is the perfect blend of punk, rock n roll, garage and psychedelic music. Their first song comes on strong like something from Blue Oyster Cult and by the second song I'm thinking more of "Louie Louie". The third song- the last on Side A- really brings High Tiny Hairs into their own though as it has a style with organs that reminds me a bit of when The Gadjits stopped being ska but overall I feel like the third song on is when I really stop hearing other influences and feel like High Tiny Hairs have just stepped into their own and it is something fun, raucous and yet just easy on the ears as well.
In the tradition of Buddy Holly or the band from "That Thing You Do!", the songs tend to be about their titles and I've always liked when bands did that because sometimes keeping it simple is best as you don't always want to listen to overly-complex music and sometimes you just need those songs you can throw on, sing along with and forget your troubles simply by listening to them.
Speaking of troubles, the third song on here is called "First World Problems" and that song is a bit of fun as it does bring a lot of things into perspective. Next time you're so concerned your new iPhone won't do what you want it to do just remember there are people in other countries who don't even have running water let alone electricity. It's a nice way to say, "Hey, things aren't so bad for you after all" to a psych tune and I dig it. This is just such a solid set of songs you should definitely be diving right in.
Review CD-reviews Buiten BeNeLux
Erik Vandamme 19 oktober 2015
High Tiny Hairs is het nieuwste project van Ben Bachman, die de lezers misschien kennen als lid van Fuck Knights en frontman vanNightingshales. De band omschrijft hun muziek als: garage psych. Als invloeden geven ze artiesten als Alex Chilton, Brian Eno enSyd Barrett mee. Allemaal reden waarom we de oren iets meer spitsen, fan zijnde van voornoemde artiesten. High Tiny Hairsbestaan uit volgende leden: Ben Bachman, Ioana Cristina Mirica,Andreu Nin, Sergio Hernandez, GD Mills en Eric Levy. Met de EPHigh Tiny Hairs geven ze ons een visitekaartje af met zes nummers, van circa 2 minuten. Het moet snel gaan, onze bevindingen lezen jullie hieronder.
Chaos Ensues drijft op een pakkende gitaarriff waarbij de vrij hoge stem van Bachman perfect aansluit, en doet ons prompt wat terugdenken aan de golden '60s. Of '70s. De knipoog naar het verleden is zeker en vast aanwezig, maar daardoor klinkt High Tiny Hairs zeker niet gedateerd. Ook wil de korte tijd van de songs niet zeggen dat ze snel gaan, het gaat zelfs de redelijk slome weg op, maar we worden ook niet in slaap gewiegd. Integendeel.
We vertelden het al er wordt teruggegrepen naar het verleden. Dat blijkt ook bij Ghost Shadow waarbij we prompt terug denken aan de poprock bands uit de jaren '70. Een gegeven dat we ook terug vinden bij Girl Like u of First World Problems waarbij het tempo wel iets meer de hoogte ingaat. Maar geluidsmuren afbreken of de trommelvliezen doen barsten is er niet bij. Nu, dat laatste hoeft ook niet altijd.
Op een gezapig, maar toch heel gedreven drafje, worden we verder geleid naar de volgende songs. Je zou kunnen stellen dat het soms iets teveel die gezapige lijn opgaat, waardoor al de songs net niet boven de middelmaat dreigen uit te steken. Vernieuwend is het allemaal niet uiteraard, maar dan is er plots afsluiter Redd Room dat een iets stevigere aanpak naar voor brengt. Waarbij vooral de gitaar- en orgel inbreng het meest opvalt. Dit nummer laat een frisse wind waaien doorheen deze EP, wat ons doet vermoeden dat deze band nog veel meer in zijn mars heeft naar de toekomst toe.
Conclusie: Met Deze EP grijpen High Tiny Hairs terug naar het verleden, ze doen de jaren '60 tot '70 weer herleven, echter zonder gedateerd te gaan klinken. Alles gaat bovendien diezelfde gestroomlijnde, vaak gezapige weg op waardoor je als luisteraar misschien niet direct zal opkijken bij het luisteren van deze plaat. Vernieuwend en grensverleggend klinkt deze EP dan ook niet, maar de nummers worden met de nodige zorg gebracht en elk van deze artiesten weten perfect hun instrumenten te bespelen. Bovendien is er die hoge stem van Bachman die je in diepe vervoering weet te brengen.
The blog that Celebrates itself by Renato Malizia
21 de setembro de 2015
Garage, psych, farfisa, fuzz, psicodelismo garageiro a serviço dos bons sons é a receita apresentada pelos estadunidenses do High Tiny Hairs.
A estreia foi o Ep homônimo lançado há um ano atrás e que chega tardiamente aqui no TBTCI, mas já chega exalando acidez.
Pra ouvir bem alto, em todos os sentidos e preferencial viajando!!!!
Posted by RingMaster
on August 24, 2015
Take a pinch of sixties garage rock, a whiff of seventies/ eighties psychedelic pop, and a scent of the punk rawness which has spiced any decade you care to mention in some form or other, and you have something akin to the sound of High Tiny Hairs. The new project from former Fuck Knights guitarist and Nightingales front man Ben Bachman, the band is a raw and magnetic tantalising of ears in sound and invention with a potent self-titled debut EP to introduce themselves by. Receiving its UK unveiling this month, the six track encounter almost licks at the imagination with its stirring flavours and mesmeric sonic colours, each song flirting with bright hues around darker lyrical shadows.
Formed by the Minneapolis based Bachman with inspirations of artists like Alex Chilton, Brian Eno, and Syd Barrett spicing his creativity, High Tiny Hairs almost instantly captivates body and thoughts from the EP’s first breath. With Ioana Cristina Mirica, Sergio Hernandez, GD Mills, and Eric Levy alongside Bachman, the band instantly tempts with a web of inviting guitar as opener Chaos Ensues begins to blossom in ears. That alone seems to merge sixties lures with new wave enticement before glowing vocals caress a broadening and increasingly catchy landscape being laid by the song. Its prime hook is like a familiar friend yet defines pinning down whilst the fiery vocals and rosy yet chilled melodies within a sturdy rhythmic and sonic frame, suggests something akin to The Raincoats meets Melody’s Echo Chamber meets Horse Party.
The potent start continues in the rawer brilliance of Ghost Shadow, a song best described as The Electric Prunes in a mesmeric romance with The Sonics and indeed Syd Barrett. With the increasingly tempting charm and flirtation of a Farfisa organ coating and seducing respectively the jagged bones of the song and a swiftly greedy appetite for it, the track is a wonderful unruly smoulder of raw garage bred dream pop and swiftly matched in persuasion by the sultry pop rock of First World Problems. Keys and vocals again tantalise as the jangle of guitars and the ever darkly toned bass both skip over and prowl their companion’s warmly enticing adventures, the result another pleasing escapade for the listener.
Redd Room slips into its sixties seeding with relish from the first second, keys again embracing the pop of that era whilst adding a seventies psych rock smile. Around and within this though, starting with a great opening hook out of the De Staat songbook, the band infuses a weave of matching magnetic styles and sonic resourcefulness. The song does not quite match up to its predecessor but nevertheless has feet and hips swaying with as much contentment as that growing in ears.
The haunting stroll of Night Time Wander steps forward next, again catchy and lively exploits of rhythms and guitar, as well as the fascinating lure of the vocals, embracing and infusing the “sombre and sardonic musings” of Bachman. Feet have no resistance to the song, nor healthy enjoyment before the closing Girl Like U completes the EP. The last song, as Redd Room earlier, is missing that certain something for personal tastes which lit the EP’s other tracks so potently, yet it provides a slice of sixties honed pleasure to broadly smile about whilst finishing off a great introduction to High Tiny Hairs, an EP which in many ways brings the sound of summer across numerous decades into one sultry adventure.
Brandon Wheelock @essentiallypop AUGUST 15TH 2015
First off, ‘Ghost Shadows’ is one song on the EP that instantly struck my attention drifting more toward early 60’s rock with a dirty and raw vintage vibe that features a surf guitar style solo in the chorus and a classic Farfisa organ to back it up. A simplistic chord progression with some catchy rock vocals and the vintage sound of the Farfisa just seem to do the trick as far as creating a pop rock style song that still stays true and appeals to the lo-fi crowd.‘First World Problem’ keeps true to the 60’s sound but also mixes in a quirky 80’s Devo sound especially with the Farfisa organ and the bouncy tempo of the rhythm. ‘Chaos Ensues’ has some great guitar with a nice catchy melody hook and a really cool multiple track solo section that help create some tripped dynamics.
‘Girl Like U’ is a track that seems very rough with the drum part and may seem a bit off in rhythm but still seems to work with the catchy lyrical lines and whistling part and a feel reminiscent to bands like Velvet Underground. The song ‘Redd Room’ takes on the more classic 70’s rock style with guitar riff embellishments and complimenting organ rhythms that are reminiscent to the rock jam style of the 70’s.
High Tiny Hairs – Nighttime Wander
Don't need a melody by Emmy Feldman
Ben Bachman is High Tiny Hairs, and I’m kind of taken with this song, off the recent self-titled EP. It’s short, it’s simple, and it has one of those meat and potatoes, could have happened any time in the past 40 years guitar riffs, that just sounds really good when you turn it up, so.......
ROCK AND ROLL ARMY by Natxo G.
Desde Minneapolis nos llega el primer EP autoproducido de High Tiny Hairs, banda encabezada por uno de los sospechosos habituales de la escena de la ciudad norteamericana como es Ben Bachman, anteriormente líder de Nightinghales y ahora de vuelta en Fuck Knights, banda en la que ya militaba en la época de su primera visita a nuestro país. De hecho, en esta nueva formación también figura Greg Mills, alma de los caballeros del exabrupto.
En este EP, Bachman nos presenta un total de seis canciones de popgaragero con un aire muy sixtie. La utilización de un órgano farfisa da color a unos temas redondos que hacen de su brevedad -los de mayor duración rondan los 2:30 minutos- también una virtud. Son seis temas como decimos de un pop sesentero repleto de melodías ensoñadoras que dejan con ganas de más. Esperemos que pronto lancen más material y que se animen a venir a vistarnos.
