I was first really introduced to Electric Citizen back in November when I saw them opening for Pentagram on two consecutive nights at Saint Vitus Bar. I remember being immediately struck by the power of this band, from Laura Dolan's stunning vocals to the driving power of her husband Ross's riffs. Electric Citizen fully understand the power of rock and roll and have been able to craft a sound that perfectly reflects their own individual talents. Tapping into occult, almost Coven-esque vibes, as well as invoking the burning rock and roll energy of a band like Blue Cheer, the good folks in Electric Citizen have put out a top notch psych rock record with Higher Time. One of my most hotly anticipated albums of the year, it represents a significant step forward for one of heavy rock's best bands. Diving right in with the twisted madness of "Evil" and then going from one riff-filled masterpiece to the next, Electric Citizen go well beyond anything that they accomplished with 2014's Sateen. The band is coming into their own, and they know it; after all, Higher Time is full of that pure raucous energy and swagger that has always made this kind of music the best in the world.
I think the thing that really affirms this record's greatness in my mind is the beauty of the arrangements. The screaming guitars and the stunning delivery of Ms. Dolan on a song like "Social Phobia" serves as evidence to all that Electric Citizen can accomplish. That being said, I feel like the band keeps hinting that they could do something that goes far beyond even this. Certain tracks on the record start to hint at the incredible potential that Electric Citizen have. Furthermore, some of the ideas don't feel fully fleshed out, and while this often leads to more concise songs (which is almost always a plus in my book) I feel like the band could be doing so much more. In other words, I know how well this band can deliver, and I am never going to be satisfied until they take the crown for their own and stomp all over the opposition. Of course, if a band can instill this kind of faith and passion in some asshole reviewer like me, well, that kind of suggests that they must be doing something right… right?
Unlike so many of their peers, Electric Citizen play their butts off on Higher Time, and they do their best to rip you a new one with every crashing anthem on this record. This is an album that dives forward courageously, encouraging you to embrace all the magic within and lose yourself in the purity of sound and inherent drama that a band like Electric Citizen so smoothly conjure up to their collective advantage. Higher Time is some top notch shit, it has all the marijuana-infused magic of the 60s, but hints at more modern elements, and tells us that there is a lot more to come from these Cincinnati rockers. If you're not on board the bandwagon now, you had better get on, because from here on out Electric Citizen are only going to get better.
Score: 8/10
