Electric Citizen – “Higher Time” [Album Review]

Nowadays, it is quite difficult for true rock ‘n roll bands to stand out amongst those who are dead set on simply reviving ’70s trends. Like the poor folk over at Thrasher Magazine, groups dedicated to heavy riffs and turning up the fuzz are being sucked up by the Coachella/Pinterest army and never heard from or seen again. For some, it is a double edged sword, bands get to ride high on trends gaining massive exposure, but then quickly fade away when it’s time to look towards the next big fashion. For Cincinnati rockers Electric Citizen, keeping up with trends is not something on their radar. And rightfully so.

Signed to the Sabbath worship giants RidingEasy Records, Higher Time is the follow-up to their 2014 monster debut, Sateen. Husband and wife duo Laura and Ross Dolan, backed by the solid rhythm section of bassist Randy Proctor and drummer Nate Wagner, have stepped out of the studio with a bold statement that they are not here to fuck around. While Sateen was a hit and proved the band to possess a mature and focused sound, Higher Time shows them to be more refined and more comfortable this time around.

Laura’s vocals hit you like a ton of bricks on the opening track “Evil” and stay raw and powerful throughout the recording. Behind Laura lay crushing riffs and heavy organs brought on by Ross and co. making for a full, well-rounded album. From the heavier tracks of “Ghost of Me” and “Two Hearted Woman” to the groovier “Natural Law” and “Golden Mean”, while keeping true to their sound, the band has truly pushed themselves on this record; a promising treat for any Electric Citizen fan.

Touring in the past with acts such as Fu Manchu, Wolfmother and Pentagram, you can expect a lot of activity from these guys this year in support of this release. And with the success this album deserves, 2016 should be a big year for Electric Citizen!

Higher Time Track Listing:

01. Evil
02. Social Phobia
03. Misery Keeper
04. Devils in Passing Time
05. Golden Mean
06. Higher Time
07. Ghost of Me
08. Natural Law
09. Crux
10. Two Hearted Woman

Run Time: 39.26
Release Date: May 13, 2016

Check out the track “Misery Keeper”