MCID: Evolution Beyond Fan Tolerance?
The development and evolution-or even devolution, in the eyes of some- of bands over time can quite literally be the difference between continued creative success and heavy division.
From constant improvements in modern technology to the sheer level of production, avid listeners the world over have found themselves with access to no end of exposure to genres, people, sounds and concepts that were previously unheard of, opening up a much wider and more colourful world of music.
However, most bands worth their salt tend to find some individuals becoming defensive and upset over new creative directions, with some fans even stating that they feel betrayed by the fact that the very aspects of a band and its songs which once drew them in are now “but a shadow” of what they once were.
But, surely, one of the most important aspects of any genre of music is that the themes and ideas remain powerful and meaningful, regardless of the changing styles chosen to represent those messages?
For the Highly Suspect crew, this has been the centre of often-heated debates for the past few months, since the release of their third studio album, MCID, in November of 2019.
Highly Suspect are certainly no strangers to the afore-mentioned division that change can fuel. From their humble beginnings as a bar cover band in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Johnny Stevens (vocals & guitar), twins Rich (bass & vocals) and Ryan Meyer (drums & vocals) and the recently-joined Matt Kofos (vocals, guitar & synths) have spent the past 10 years or so splicing together tasteful elements of alt rock, hard and indie rock and blues, as heard on the albums Mister Asylum (2015, 300 Entertainment) and The Boy Who Died Wolf (2016).
Tracks ‘My Name Is Human’ and ‘Lydia’ proved particularly popular and led to critical acclaim, with MNIH reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and commanding a nomination for the title of Best Rock Song at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.
However, 2019 saw the release of MCID, sparking attention from all corners… and sides.
Their new album-which was officially released on November 1st 2019 (Atlantic Records/300 Entertainment)-includes singles released a month prior, ’16’ and ‘Uppderdrugs’, with the former hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart. With hints at sounds and content from Highly Suspect‘s previous albums, ’16’ is a deeply personal depiction of Johnny’s anguish and struggle with coming to terms with the knowledge that his then-girlfriend had fallen pregnant-but with a baby that was not his own. Melodic synths and even the addition of elements of choir throughout the chorus combine with Johnny’s lyrics-raw, honest and emotional as ever- resulting in a track in which atmosphere and lyrical content are at odds, yet still combine so favourably.
Upbeat, catchy and full of all of the moving emotion that we have come to love and expect from Johnny over the years, ’16’ proved successful, with the majority of fans having only positive things to say. ‘Upperdrugs’ saw a similar positive response from fans, due mostly to the heavier, distorted guitars comparable with content on the band’s previous albums.
However, this wasn’t to be the end of this album’s experimentation, nor its fan-dividing nature; in fact, it was merely the first step.
The album takes an unexpected twist with track ‘Tokyo Ghoul’, which features American rapper Young Thug and takes a deep dive into the realms of hip hop influence (which the band have stated they had a love for even before rock music), noticeably more so than anything we have heard from the group before. A few fans were surprised to find Johnny rap, followed shortly after by Young Thug on the second verse. ‘Tokyo Ghoul”s lyrics paint a story of Highly Suspect’s conflict with fans (and the other highly-critical people surrounding them at the time) over new creative directions, and voicing Johnny’s upset at “fake people”-whether that be friends or fans-that stifle their art:
“For what? So you could get on my grip
So you could pick me apart
Tell me how I should make art?
Nah you don’t get this heart”
Personally, some tracks on this album were a little surprising, given the direction and sound that has anchored Highly Suspect into the industry and brought them their popularity for the past 11 or so years. However, the unpredictable nature of this album is what made MCID such a joy to listen to for the most part; from track 1 through 16, you are met with a taste of something new and exciting at every turn; from the ways in which lyrics are delivered and the addition of choir, rap, hip-hop influences, to taking a bold stance against people who may resist change in favour of comfort.
Although understandable that genre-bending albums or bands are not for everybody-especially when fans have become so accustomed to one “type” of sound-it certainly seems as though many have jumped straight to a position of defence without giving MCID the time it needs to settle and truly be heard.
In the age of media and being able to access the newest releases on the music scene immediately and with great ease, it is safe to say that these albums are hardly being listened to in the way that they were initially intended to be many years ago: from start to finish, without the convenience of skipping or immediately replaying songs, and the time to truly immerse yourself in what has been created.
I urge other fans of Highly Suspect-and in fact, of other bands, too-to sit down with the album in question truly listen to and appreciate the underlying stories throughout. At the end of the day, even if you still simply dislike the album, at least you gave it the time, patience and energy it so deserved.
