“When did pop music get so god damn algorithmic? An album made of blood boiled down to a song on a playlist.” This is how Michigan-based Red Arrow Highway kicks off their sophomore album Be Someone Better against infectious riffs and loud, hard drums. It’s an instant ear worm and if it doesn’t persuade you to keep listening, I fear this review is not for you.
I didn’t know anything about Red Arrow Highway going into this one and I actually chose to let the music tell me their story before reading about them. Well, that’s a lie. I did see that they channel classic rock legends like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty as well as more modern, melodic punks like The Gaslight Anthem, The Menzingers, and even Bright Eyes. But outside of that, I tried to go in blind. And what I pieced together about this band is actually my favorite part of Be Someone Better.
Here’s the thing: helping out with The Indy Review, I’ll occasionally get albums sent my way that feel like seasoned musicians trying to hang on to a feeling they’ve been chasing since their first band 20 years prior. It’s not often bad music but rather music that feels outdated with lyrics that come across stale. But every now and then, I get sent a group of millennial punk rockers who aren’t chasing what they had in prior bands but instead have finally found the group of people where it all clicks. And they aren’t coming to you to say something stale against a sound you’ve heard before. They are making fresh music because they love it, they still have something to say, and they’ve found the right way to say it. And THAT is what I’ve found with Red Arrow Highway.
With members who have played music for the better part of two decades, Red Arrow Highway strung together a sophomore album that reflects adult life in the timeline we are living in. It’s observant, honest, at times dark. I may be projecting a bit but the album as a whole truly seems to paint a picture of just a 30-something navigating the world. And it doesn’t shy away from potential arguments with loved ones, as heard in “Stop Worrying,” or even the general feeling of being numb or passive like in “Realists.”
The standout song to me was the third track, “Amphetamines.” A song about the complexities of a loved one struggling with addiction, I feel like all members hit their stride on this one. It’s fast and melodic on the chorus but gentle when it needs to be during the verse and bridge. All leading to an emotional plea to close it out. I’d be remiss if I didn’t call out how well-written this one is.
Sonically, Be Someone Better really does blend the best parts of The Gaslight Anthem, The Menzingers, and Bright Eyes. While Springsteen and Petty are less noticeable influences, I suppose their entire sound wouldn’t exist without such legends in the first place. Expect catchy riffs, driving bass and drum rhythms, a mix of clean and strained vocals, and a lot of head nodding.
Be Someone Better is one of those albums that celebrates the less attractive parts of being a human. It isn’t sad or tragic. It isn’t attempting any type of profoundness. It just reflects existence. And it sounds good doing that. Really good.
Be Someone Better is out everyone on March 20th. Listen to “Parallel” right now:
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