The Higher are a young group of fellas playing what most young fellas seemed to be playing in the early 2000s: emo. Their brand of emo is amped up and loud, at times almost metal when the guitars pile on the distortion and rage. Singer Seth Trotter looks like the kind of kid who didn't have a lot of luck with the ladies and got beat up a few times just for being punk. Now he gets to sing about it in a voice full of angst and keening emotion. He still likely doesn't have much success with the ladies because hunky guitarists James Mattison and Tom Oakes surely get them all. That's cool though; it keeps the lyrics real. And earnest. Very earnest. Too earnest. Check out the painfully earnest "Story of Growing Up" or the promisingly titled "Couples Skate Only." There is no doubt a great song to be written about that subject, but even though it is the best tune on the record, this isn't it.
The Higher are young enough to still go to college when this whole band thing doesn't work out. Perhaps they should start applying now.