HIGH BEAMS- 'Hallucination' LP/CD PRESS

SLEAZEGRINDER (High Beams - Hallucination CD, Dead Beat Records)
The High Beams give us an abrasive half-hour blast of no-nonsense, crunchy, seedy, Heartbreakers-inspired thuggery, all lashing, crackling, high tension wires, the music as stripped down and minimalist as the sleeve. While ex-band mates The Sunday Drunks seem to go down a more Stonesy / Stooges sludgy sideroad, The High Beams floor it recklessly along some central highway out of nowheresville and hit the amphetamine addled alleyways rushing around amongst the dust and dirt of big city shitsville. From "Look At Her Run's" soundtracking, a gas guzzling, tarmac-eating journey, through "Defend Me" (choice lines: "She loves to be with the boys in the band, loves to give them a helping hand, she's giving the singer a great big thrill 'cos his drummer passed out on a handful of pills") and "Nothing Good", through to the howling, pounding comedown paranoia of the title track, complete with a tidy little stop/start guitar line, and "Living To Die". While none of them are devoid of melody, far from it, with the insistent, nagging melody of "Tell Somebody", only at the end does Mr. Mayo reveal more of a pure pop edge, with "Rocking Horses". While a lot of it is derivative (so?) - like Lori Looker being very close to The Lurkers "Take Me Back To Babylon" (yeah, cos they were so original - stop talking to yourself) - this gets better the more you play it. I admit at first I thought it a bit "Oh here we go again" but for no-frills, no holds barred punk'n'roll of the kind it is I haven't heard much better recently. Top one chaps. (Stu Gibson)

ODYSSEY WEB ZINE (High Beams "Hallucination" CD, Dead Beat)
The High Beams features Matt Mayo from the Mullens. If you were to give the Mullens a spin, two words would likely come to mind: straight up. Give the High Beams a spin and those same two words come to mind. This is perfectly performed straight up punk rock and roll with none of that extra fancy shit. Its main strength is the fact that it's just stripped down to real, basic rock and roll. Hallucination is spilling over with snotty vocals and blazing guitar riffs that are blissfully dumb as a brick. It's the music that the weekend is made for. Call over some friends, crack open an 18-pack of Schlitz, empty a bottle of whiskey and stay up late. And while you're at it, give the High Beams a spin or two.

BLANK GENERATION (High Beams "Hallucination" CD, Dead Beat)
Hey...This is pretty damn interesting. Not fuzzed out, last cigarette Rock and/or Roll. This has more of a wave approach. In fact, around song three, I am hearing some definite Jam in there...It’s that good Jam too. Not the boring shit. I mean, let’s all face facts…The Jam isn’t known to be consistently good. Their debut was OK... Afterwards, they were hit or miss on much of their material. Some really good songs and some BORING songs. The High Beams remind me of the good stuff. Mid-tempo tunes with some edgy guitar leads sprinkled throughout. "Hallucination" hits hard to the savvy music listener. Lots of finger pointing at speakers saying "yeah" when this is playing at the party. The title track to this CD is SUPER!!! It makes me jittery. The High Beams have the slop. Like they don’t wash their hair or something...Greasy pork sandwiches out of a dirty ashtray. Sitting at a bar…drinking bottled water…

Solid. Solid. Solid.

A while back, I reviewed The Cunts from Chicago. If you got that; and liked it, then this is right up your alley. Not as spaced out in parts, but you gotta love the straightforward rock that The High Beams throw your way. I know I do and I’m a fucking new-waver. This CD fucked up my solid color shirt, single row spiked bracelet, pink and black jelly bracelets and barefoot, flame-footed ass! I’m a fan! The High Beams won me over. Music prevails!!!! Stay on the beam!!! Not JUST the Jim Beam either.......... Nipples: HIGH BEAMS!!!! (SAB)

SMASHIN TRANSITORS (THE HIGH BEAMS "Hallucination" CD, Deadbeat)
Straight up 70's vibe going down here. The Real Kids and the rockers from the Stones "It's Only Rock-n-Roll" seem to loom large in their world. Matt from the Mullens is in the band and it goes to the same greasy spoons, dingy bars and dirty polebarns that you'd expect. (DM)