by Ross Holder (@RossHolder8)
High Flying Man is the third feature-length album released by Matt Berry as The Berries, his pseudo-eponymous project. Followers of Berry’s work will recognize a familiar vocal delivery and a dramatic style of songwriting. The psychedelic, almost Brit-pop inspired music of the previous release, Throne of Ivory is still subtly present but High Flying Man is more prominently steeped in American Rock ’n’ Roll, blistering guitar solos, and pop melodies. These are musical weapons that Berry has used in the past and have been fully realized in High Flying Man. Berry is no stranger to guitar orientated music, he earned his stripes playing with Californian outfit Happy Diving (Topshelf Records). However, the fuzzy aggressiveness of those days has been substituted for a more considered and softer approach that is glittered all over High Flying Man. The overdrive has been subdued a tad which has allowed Berry to focus on the structure and melody in much closer detail. The production on this new release has also taken a step away from the lo-fi feel of the previous two records as Rob Schanpf was drafted to complete the final mixes, who undoubtedly spread some high-end studio finesse.
High Flying Man is a record consisting of guitar-driven rock songs and ballads. It starts at a blistering pace with “Western Township,” which takes quite a psychedelic turn in the second verse. It is a cleverly crafted song which gets more intense as it comes to a conclusion after three minutes. “Western Township” fades into “Prime,” which is equally swaggering with a twanging guitar riff that would make Jethro Tull proud. “Down That Road Again” is the first ballad on the album, lyrically it discusses feelings of self-pity and regret, a universal experience that has been shared by many the world over. The other memorable ballad on High Flying Man is “Eagle Eye”. Clocking in at over five minutes, the song takes you through a melancholic journey where the protagonist wanders many roads, unsure of themselves or where their journey is going to end. There is a cathartic release in the form of a long winding guitar solo which leaves you slightly jaded after such heroics.
Increasing the energy after a melancholic ballad always works a treat and this is done to great effect in “Life’s Blood”. There is a great dynamic between the verse and chorus, which is replicated in “Exceptional Fabric” as the dueling guitars interweave in virtuosic fashion. There is no denying that the tracks are mixed compellingly and everything has its own distinguishable place. The songs are dense and there is something new that catches your ear after every listen. This is a record that deserves repeat plays to fully appreciate what is going on. High Flying Man has proven Berry’s skill, both as a songwriter and guitar player and slots nicely in a young discography that has impressed after each release. Berry changed his approach to tackling a record and what has been produced is a statement of masterfully crafted 70s-inspired psychedelic rock songs which are dripping in brooding malaise, a malaise that has been caused by personal and social factors.