It's Only Natural (Bonus Track Version)
The Higher
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| Name | Artist | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1
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Try Again | The Higher | 3:30 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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2
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Other Options | The Higher | 3:34 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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3
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Undertaker | The Higher | 3:00 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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4
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It's Only Natural | The Higher | 3:14 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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5
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Story of a Man Obsessed | The Higher | 3:11 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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6
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The (Runaway) Artist | The Higher | 3:41 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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7
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Play With Fire | The Higher | 3:38 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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8
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Burn and Turn | The Higher | 3:01 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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9
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The Black Dress | The Higher | 3:29 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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10
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Beautiful Coffins | The Higher | 3:49 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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11
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Scandalous | The Higher | 7:03 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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12
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Closer | The Higher | 4:03 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
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13
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Sound the Retreat | The Higher | 3:19 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
| Total: 13 Songs |
Album Review
The Radio Disney crowd had an appetite for emo as well as R&B-minded teen pop in the mid- to late 2000s. So why not bring the two together? That's what the Higher (who started out as a run-of-the-mill emo band) had in mind when they moved in a more urban-flavored direction on 2007's On Fire, and the Las Vegas residents continue in that vein on It's Only Natural. The sound on this 2009 release is basically the Click Five by way of Justin Timberlake, which means there are hints of Michael Jackson at times. This is the sound of a boy band trying to be deeper and more mature while maintaining their boyishness. That type of thing was compelling when the Jackson Five and Stevie Wonder were gradually making the transition from teen idols to adult stars back in the day, but then, the Higher aren't the Jackson Five or Stevie Wonder (not that they ever claimed to be). On It's Only Natural, the Higher still have plenty of Radio Disney appeal and sound like they would fit right in playing a gig on Prom Night. But that doesn't mean that It's Only Natural is without merit. In fact, likeable grooves such as "Undertaker," "Story of a Man Obsessed," "Play with Fire," and "The Black Dress" are a definite improvement over the group's earlier recordings. When the Higher were a straight-ahead emo band and didn't have the urban/teen pop/Timberlake influence, they were totally generic and forgettable. But on It's Only Natural, their desire to balance emo, urban, and teen pop considerations makes for grooves that aren't mind-blowing but are at least fairly catchy (in a Radio Disney kind of way).
Customer Reviews
Vegas, has more than just gambling to it's name!
'The album kicks off with two pop-rock tunes that reflect the sound early Higher fans know best with "Try Again" about separation, putting their best foot forward, and not dwelling on the past, and "Other Options" in which the band examines what they need to do in order to move forward. Those lead into the two most pop-friendly tracks, "Undertaker" about the band's roots and love for Las Vegas and the title track, "It's Only Natural," which addresses attraction and other 'natural' desires.Next come the two most heart-wrenching tunes, the rock-based "Story of a Man Obsessed" about paranoia and obsession, and then the slow jam "The (Runaway) Artist," which Seth wrote on piano at the age 15, and adapted into a band tune, written from the point of view of a girl leaving town to follow her dreams."The first half of the record is about us realizing that things are falling apart," Trotter explains. "Then it goes on to make us realize we're going to be okay by ourselves."The second half kicks off with the standout track, "Play with Fire," which Trotter calls their Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana" of the album. The essence of the lyrics are about overconfident girls whose beauty is only matched by their unoriginality. Next up is their New Found Glory-style "Burn and Turn" about the coming and going of people and their vices, while not getting lost in the shuffle.The song titles then hit a darker turn with the jazzy slow jam "The Black Dress" about picking a girl up at a funeral and mourning the loss in the only way that feels natural, and "Beautiful Coffins" is about the sad departure of an old friend and allowing them to dig their own grave. The album closes with a two-in-one track starting with "Scandalous" about a girl who's simply no good, and leading into "The Long Con" based off of an episode of the band's favorite show, Lost, in which two characters mutually screw each other over. And to cap off the album, the band ends with a cover of Ne-Yo's R&B hit, "Closer." "Our band listens to a lot of R&B," Trotter says. "People who like rock may never listen to Ne-Yo, but the song is so undeniable that they might give our version a chance. Plus we like to mess around with covers and mix them up." '
Amazing!
Finally, I have been waiting for months for this album to come out, and it is finally here. I have loved The Higher for...a while now. This album is amazing. I absolutely love it to death. It has so much to offer for everyone. In my opinion, I believe a lot of people will love it. All the songs are amazing, including the cover of Ne-Yo's "Closer", which I personally wasn't a huge fan of when Ne-Yo did it, but The Higher made it to where I absolutely love it. I'm just stunned by this album. If I were you, don't knock it until you try it, listen to the 30 second samples of each song, I'm pretty sure you will love it! I really like "The (Runaway) Artist" and "Beautiful Coffins". Those are two of my faves, but I love the entire album! The Higher has done it, yet again, making great album after great album. I'm left speechless...try it out, I'm sure you'll like it!! :)
Amazingly Catchy
Great pace to all the songs. Closer, the Ne-Yo cover is probably better than the original. Undertaker is a great tribute to Vegas as well. This album is worth the money!
Biography
Formed: 2002 in Las Vegas, NV
Genre: Rock
Years Active: '00s
Top Albums and Songs by The Higher
| Name | Album | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Insurance | On Fire | 3:07 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
|
2
|
Histrionics | Histrionics | 1:14 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
3
|
It's Only Natural | It's Only Natural (Bonus Track Version) | 3:14 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
|
4
|
Rock My Body | On Fire | 3:31 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
|
5
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The Black Dress | It's Only Natural (Bonus Track Version) | 3:29 | $1.29 | View In iTunes |
- $9.99
- Genres: Alternative, Music, Rock, Adult Alternative
- Released: Jun 23, 2009
- ℗ 2009 Epitaph
