Moxie Bravo

REISSUE. Moxie Bravo is a sneaky record. If it were playing in the background, or blasting at the bar, a listener might mistake its energy and bombastic sound as a hell of a party album. But if that listener were to allow their ear to fasten onto the songs the record offers. he/she would discover the High Strung are onto something wholly unique. The High Strung is not garage. They do not have a bluesy bone in their bodies and Moxie Bravo reflects that. Josh Malerman, the band's singer and writer, alternates his lyrics between Lewis Carroll-ish character sketches and songs about sexual triumphs (victorious because the narrator is often confused by the situations he overcomes and, as drummer Derek Berk says, 'you aren't brave unless you're afraid of it first'). Musically, the band is clearly led by their rhythm section. Chad Stocker plays a lead bass and Berk matches him. But the High Strung are a SONGS FIRST band and it is impossible to form an opinion on them without considering their subject matter.