Reviewed by Graeme Crawford

High Flight Society hail from Cedartown, Georgia, which lies around an hour's drive northwest of Atlanta. The band members have all been involved in music from a young age and are used to performing in front of audiences. The guitarist, bassist and drummer played together in their church worship band, while singer Jason Wilkes sang Southern gospel with his family at his small Baptist Church. In fact he still performs with them when band commitments allow. Rather than a praise or gospel band, however, High Flight Society cite Anberlin, Jimmy Eat World and Thrice as influences on their pop-rock sound. Believing that God has called them to "be a light in the darkness", the band have the drive and ambition to make a big impression on the music industry as a whole. Two record labels folding before they could release their debut has only made them more determined to succeed. Musically this album is a positive foundation for them to build on in the future. The songs are well-structured, solid and competent, if a little clichéd at times while the production from Tony Palacios is crisply efficient. Wilkes has a strong baritone voice well suited to the rockier numbers, though he sounds a little flat on the intro to "Sweet Redeemer" and on the ballad "Declaration". This is a good if not startlingly fresh album.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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