'Not Fair', released today (10th February), feels like a bit of a re-invention for Death Of The High Street, affectionately known as DOTHS. There's an indefinable new ingredient in there; perhaps it's the confidence which comes naturally as a band matures and feels the love and ardent support from more and more new fans.
Let's take 'Not Fair' as a convenient example, since I'm supposed to be writing about this new release from Death Of The High Street, a four-piece band made up of Scott Baxter, vocals and guitar; Ash Simpson, bass; Andy Purves, lead guitar; and Joe Hodges, drums, who describe themselves as "hailing from the Midlands, UK"
Although the song represents a slight change of style and direction for DOTHS, it's definitely and absolutely DOTHS. The track is filled with a certain attitude: an uncompromising, confident, assertive yet gracious sense. You feel the energy of the band - of each individual member as well as the collective whole - seeping out of each guitar riff and drum fill.
The title is interesting: you might read it and imagine a sense of complaint or negativity. You'd be wrong; there's much more going on here. Ostensibly about relationship, love and regret and "and the ever-elusive ability to know when to call it a day", I discovered many other facets to the track. It starts with jangly 90s guitars, sounding slightly distant, before Scott Baxter's voice plaintively delivers the title words. The rest of the band then join in with energy and fervour - no messing around. This opening few seconds in a really effective way of starting a song - you get that feel of the band approaching, stepping up to tell the story.
The rest of the song picks up and maintains the energy of the opening, as it develops into something kind of soaring - the riffs are catchy and fuzzy, the drums give some bounce; the lead guitar adds layers of shine. After an extended section of distorted reverb with vocal and drum offerings sprinkled on top - the band members playing off each other - there's a final play out to a definitive end. And that's that. The band swagger off leaving you gaping after them.
"What next?" you ask.
Play it again is the obvious answer.
DOTHS have had tracks released by Alan McGee's It’s Creation Baby and Jim Dolan's Bubblebrain Records, and airplay on BBC 6Music, Absolute Radio and BBC Ulster. Last year's ‘Synergy' is a stupendous track - powerful, crunchy and built around a genius riff - and was what me notice DOTHS for the first time. (I chose it as part of my recent 2022 round-up, where I said, "The central guitar riff is so perfectly infectious - a masterpiece of crunchy, post-grunge, post-punk, post-everything writing.")
I saw the band play live at a very small venue in my home-town of Stamford last April, and thought they were superb, bringing the energy and translating their recorded sound really well into the real-life environment. Another band that are destined for much bigger things, pretty soon - they've recently been picked up by Steve Lamacq, for example.
You can listen to the track below; also make sure you follow DOTHS on social media (Instagram / Facebook / YouTube) - these guys deserve your support. And go and find them if they're playing anywhere near you.