The High Frequencies Are Generating Buzz

I’ve been captivated by Lisa Mychols’ lovely and versatile voice since I first heard her 2004 release, Sweet Sinsations.  Her vocals can be tender and alluring one moment, as on the moving “Waiting For Me Out There,” or tough and sassy the next, as with the hard rocking “Living Doll.”

She’s released a series of amazing albums since that record, both as a solo artist and with groups like The Masticators and The Checkered Hearts. Her latest band is The High Frequencies, which grew out of her previous outfit, The Seven and Six.

The High Frequencies includes Mychols on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Tom Richards on guitar and vocals, Scott Richards on bass, and Ricky Tubb on drums. We were recently treated to a taste of the band’s high-energy sound on the superb tribute disc, JEM Records Celebrates David Bowie, which features their vibrant cover of “Modern Love.”

Get High, the debut album from The High Frequencies, is on JEM Records, and it’s an outstanding collection of songs, encompassing multiple genres, including power pop, New Wave, punk, and straight-ahead rock. If you’re a fan of bands like Cheap Trick, Blondie, and The Jam, you’ll dig the unforgettable hooks and rock and roll power of songs like “Cleanup Time” and “Parasite.”

The fabulous, horn-driven “A Girl In Trouble” recalls early era No Doubt, and “Nothing Really Stays The Same” is a delectable mashup of the pop/rock sound of The Go-Gos, melded with an invigorating dose of garage rock.

The album’s dozen songs are filled with glittering melodies, powerful guitars, and thunderous drums. Of course, it’s all anchored by the gorgeous vocals from Lisa Mychols, the “Queen of Power Pop.” If there’s any doubt in your mind that she deserves that title, just give a listen to the spirited “Miss Me When I’m Gone,” and the power pop infused “Tonite and Every Nite,” the first single from the album. Once those songs get stuck in your head, you’ll be turning it up to rock out to the aptly titled “Eleven” and spinning around to the mosh pit ready “Strataplastic.”

Throughout this excellent record, the chemistry between the band members is undeniable, and is amply displayed on the kick out the jams energy of tracks like “Where The Hell You Been” and “Can You Hear Me.” There’s also an appealing blend of the sounds of modern rock and pop on “Nexus Star” and “See You Again.”

It’s crystal clear from the exuberance that you feel imbued in these sensational songs that these talented musicians really enjoy playing together. Get High by The High Frequencies comes out on October 24, and it’s the perfect rock and roll antidote to those autumnal blues, as the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer.

-John Visconti

Photo courtesy of JEM Records