The High - C/D

actually surprised that there isn't a the High thread already. i remember loving this album at the time, it was the last record produced by Martin Hannett, but probably sounds dated. they actually came back about five years later with a heavy metal album that bombed, never heard from again.

I think Hannett only produced a track or two. I think I still have it around...nope, gone. "Box Set Go" was okay, a Hannett production I'm sure.

i have it somewhere and will report back, but now that you mention it i think it was only two tracks.

They're no Northside.

Hello there.

Hannett only produced Box Set Go and I think it's b-side "More" (tacked on the cheapo CD re-issue). I read somewhere that he was supposed to produce the whole album but he was too far gone by then. It was actually produced by his regular engineer whose name now escapes me, but he made a very good job of it. Very crystaline sounding, it hasn't really dated compared to a lot of top-end heavy production of that period (see the Terry Farley mixes of The Farm's stuff for example).

The High were very underated, I think what they had in common with the Roses apart from containing two former members was their approach to songwriting and song structure. There were lumped in with the Masdchester stuff, but their album has none of the stylistic ticks that you might associate with that movement i.e. no lazy reliance on Wah-Wah or "funky" drumming. Maybe the byrdsian element was where people made the connection.

I have that album on vinyl and listened to it for the first time in ages the other day. "Dreams of Dinesh" is still fantastic, very cyclical motif's (spelling?) that I would associate more with, say, Joy Division than erm, Northside. Although you could drop that tune in the middl of an indie-disco set and it wouldn't sound too out of place.

"Rather be Marsanne" is great too, the way it shifts tempo etc. The album sounds quite downbeat in places tho, seems out of step with the optimism of the time. Anyone else think this?

Great band, sad it seems they remain a footnote.

pretty weak, as I recall...can be found in baggy bargain bins, next to Hollow Men and Flowered Up...

I thought they were a good band, let down by a flat-as-fuck singer. If they'd had a good singer, they'd have been wonderful. I havebthe first album and the first five singles, I pull them out and listen to them 2 or 3 times a year, I haven't got sick of them yet. From the 2nd album onwards they were grunge bandwagon jumpers IIRC. They were yr typical britishes indie underachievers, sadly. It would have been great if one of these bands had actually lived up to their potential.

I can only remember Box Set Go. Didn't they get done for trying to 'hype' one of their records into the charts? I remember reading a review of one of their gigs where the singer said something like "we hope you'll go out and buy loads of copies of our new single....we did."

Yes they were classic, but Noodle for the win. They were no Northside. :)

Martin Hannett produced a mix of The High's song "More" called Madness mix which was after they'd released their first album. Amongst Hannett's late 80's productions I think it's quite exceptional. He also produced a version of song "Box Set Go" which if I'm not mistaken was featured on a 12" in a version different than that which is on the album. He also produced (my favourite) an acoustic version of the song "A Minor Turn" only available on the b-side of the Take Your Time 12" and not to be found on the album or CD. Yep, that is my fave High song of all.

Pashmina is right, their second album was utter crap. Somewhere in a land worse than Oasis.

more about Hannnet's productions/discography here:
http://www.martinhannett.co.uk/frame.htm

thanks for that Bimble

somewhere soon cd london records/polygram u.s. (828 224.2) 1990 ***

*** only "box set go" is produced by hannett, the rest produced by john williams