Breathing keyboard sounds and a wall of drum rolling melodies featuring the breathless vocals of Gregory Counsell, along with the distinctive stop-start guitar line make up THE MAPLE STATE single ‘Joanna’.
The slightly retro feelgood factor of this indie outfit sees their sound echo that of former Heavenly faves The Field Mice as that light, airy throwaway indie-pop sound is showcased once again through this little ditty, subtitled a ‘Fight song, but without the violence’. The Ba-ba-backing vocals add to the full-on anthemics as this jukebox contender steps to the rise and fall of it’s own structure, and the result is self consciously radio-friendly and alive to the feelings of youth.
This release stands testament to the ongoing values that might just feature in the Teenage Dream, as attraction proves false, and emotions become confused under the glaring club lighting.
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The reverse is a slightly more reflective ‘Wood and Rain’, a chiming nod to sleazy distortion that benefits from the thumping percussion that underscores the crystal clear lyrical detail so effectively. Dedicated to male inadequacies in the midst of heavy scenarios involving the trials of young life, this steps unsure through all manner of mental complexities in relentless pursuit of pop’s weightless perfection.
A typical High Voltage Release then, but one that strikes a chord without having to shoulder the burden of that which it turns our attention to. All at once, this is catchy, seemingly free of substance, and symbolic of the indie sound that jangled around some 15-20 years ago south of Staffordshire
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