Milwaukee's own High Water Limit have returned with a fresh new lineup, and a long awaited new cd. Highwater's sound is recognizable, but at the same time hard to place your finger on. They are very much a mid-western American sounding band. Similarities that come to mind are John Mellencamp, Bon Jovi, The BoDeans, U2, and even Tom Petty. New lead guitarist Doug McKenzie and Drummer Shawn Feather have added a "funky" sound to the band. Lead singer Tom Held has switched to electric rhythm guitar, which brings in a more tighter sound to this recording. But what makes this band enjoyable to listen to is solid songwriting from Held and bassist Ryan Rappis. This is the main reason why "Superfly" is the most impressive release by this local band.
"Superfly" starts out with the bright sounding "Piece of...". The songs lyrics deal with pursuing a brief romance with a woman or a "piece of your time" as it's honestly sung here. Nice harmonies and slick guitarwork gives it a very radio friendly effect. "Turnin' round" is my favorite of the bunch. The chorus verse features the very catchy phrase "in a constant state of fluctuation, the game of life is always changin'". The mix features a great acoustic guitar sound. More pop than rock, the song stands out from the others on the cd. The BoDeans influenced "Rollin'" shows off solid drumming and jangly guitarwork. Held's vocals are smoothed out on the mix for a great effect. The powerful "One in a Million" could very well turn out to be the band's signiture live tune. Held sings about the "brightest thing in this whole town" while his vocals soar along with layers of electric guitar. The danceable "Superfly" ends the cd on a high note. Sounding more like your proto-type bar band on this tune, the band let's loose with solid playing. The song sounds like and ad-libed jam turned into a quick song, but this fun track is a good way to finish off a solid sounding release.
The balance of "Superfly's" 11 tracks are a varying mix of good tracks that hold the cd together very well. But, the strength of this band lies in their great live performances. They regularly play at the BBC in Milwaukee and other clubs in the area as an opening act, but they have started to book live dates in the Chicago area. "Superfly" is a locally produced cd that can only be purchased at one of their live shows for the moment. It's good to have these guys back and hearing the improvement in their sound!
