It’s hard, this ‘businesses of music, or maybe I should say, certain aspects of this often revolting, revolving/sliding door/portal that creates dreams for some and provides a soundtrack to others. It’s only music after-all, surely, it’s not that important as huge swathes of a continent burn, the politics of distrust and disunity are applauded as solutions rather than cause. It’s only music and we should be concerning ourselves with other things?
If you find yourself nodding in agreement, lets not waste anymore of each other’s time, you’re on the wrong page here, you’ll probably get more satisfaction from hurling insults at Greta Thunberg on Twitter, so yeah, go away, there’s nothing for you here.
Hightown Pirates are about to release their second album, *pauses while more people go back to trolling a child*.
Anyone still here?
Good, I’ll continue then;
Hightown Pirates? Who that?
“A joyous, anthem-laden affair that evokes Arcade Fire’s sweep; Blood, Sweat & Tears’ horns and the finer moments of Primal Scream’s Screamadelica”
****Q Magazine.
Never heard of them?
Not many people have, that’s ok though, it’s just music, right? The world’s burning/flooding/hating/judging but don’t worry we have Donald and Boris on hand, surely, they’ll sort it all out?
It’s not ‘just’ music is it? Not now, not ever really, but not now, because right now ‘we’ (not the Greta trolls) need some hope.
‘We’ need a distraction from the distractions created by those with the most to lose should we all become less distracted and more focused on why they need ‘us’ to be distracted, if you follow my drift?
“Look again you’ll see it’s all a plot, ISIS-brides, the far-right, the Queen the lot. The wicked witch ain’t dead, she married Uncle Sam, united we stand, not part of their plan”
Yep, same as it ever was.
To be clear, if you’re looking for some kind of, ‘rocknroll’ re-invented wheel, you ain’t gonna find it here, the kids are busy doing that in their home studios with technology and vitriol. They’re au-fait with Spotify algorithms, streaming services and playlists. They’re being punk rock without guitars and spikey hair and more power to them.
However, if you like the sound of
- Noisy/melodic guitars and feedback.
- Lyrical story-telling and dark love songs.
- The brass of Northern Soul.
- The Who/Stones/Jam/Shack/Smiths/HoldSteady/Bunnymen.
- All the Above?
(See what I did there?)
Then the new album by a band you’ve never heard of is probably an album you’re going to like, a lot.
That this album was made without a single drop of alcohol or other substance being imbibed by any of the musicians involved, may seem like another distraction but I can assure you, the story behind that seemingly innocuous fact, is best told another day.
So that’s my self-imposed 500 word introduction to the album, currently in final stages of mixing and hopefully out into the world this spring.
It’s only music though, but anyway,
Welcome to Hightown Pirates.
Simon Mason 
Brilliant front man of a brilliant band. If haven’t already bought the first album then do yourself a massive favour and go buy it. Tell your family, tell your friends and get them to buy it. Better still, you buy it as prezzies and give them the best music they’ll have listened to for a long while. Rumour is, the new album is even better. Now stop reading, get on Amazon or Google and buy it……..now.
You still here?