Setting the tone with rippling drums and a cerebral frequency, expanding into luscious and immersive bells with a soft rock meets 80s hybrid percussive energy, High Heavens open Life is a Loan Shark with the introspective lyrics, “What you got be sad about?”
The opus expands with a dream pop vibe to tell the story of “boyhood memories and lost love.” We learn from the band that the song’s synth-heavy sound is inspired by Angelo Badalamenti’s Twin Peaks and ‘50s-era Ritchie Valens, with keyboardist Jeremy Erwin flying in tracks from his home in scenic Nederland, Colorado. We love the references, but it is clear that High Heavens are creating a universe of their own with Life is a Loan Shark.
The outfit from Austin, Texas is a duo with members Ernest Salaz and John Matthew Walker, with the addition of course of Jeremy Erwin on keyboards, along with George Lara and Juan Ramos from ‘90s art-punk band Glorium, and Conrad Keely from …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead on sax and synths. An iconic and cohesive collaborative effort.
We appreciate the depth and poetic nuance of the composition, and the key changes are transcendental. Life is a Loan Shark also comes hand-in-hand with the upcoming single, 100 Bullets which is “an admission of guilt, a dodging of the karmic boomerang, and a resignation to an eventual atonement”.
“Bullets may meander, but they never miss”, says singer and lyricist John Matthew Walker candidly when discussing the future release. We love the dimensional and immersive soundscape that High Heavens share, as well as their authenticity in sound and message. Life is a Loan Shark has been added to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream their wider discography!