For Dizzier Heights - Anchor Lifted

​For Dizzier Heights

​Anchor Lifted
self-released; 2016

3.5 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Shawn Hickman (vocals/guitar/bass), Wendy Claire Geib (vocals/keyboard), Ryan Roseborough (guitar/bass) and Andrew Taravella (drums) are For Dizzier Heights. The band has been around for two years and recently released Anchor Lifted.

After spending some time with the five songs it seems obvious the band wanted to showcase their different sides. The result feels slightly scattered as they jump around to different genres. That being said there are certainly some inspired moments and the songs on their own certainly hold up.

The most out of place song out of the five is actually the opener “Anchor.” This is a pop/rock song that does have a distinct ‘80s rock ballad vibe. It’s a solid tune but in no way indicative of what lies ahead. The song revolves around distorted power chords, chugging drums and a supporting bass. 

Up next is “Uh Oh” which is more indicative of the style of the remaining songs. This song feels directly influenced by the band Phish. There is a jammy vibe to the music as you are greeted with an organ solo, a funky bass and a guitar solo at the end. When comparing the first and second songs there is no denying there is a very different feel. 

​“Good Name” has another unique style. The music feels more based in ‘70s rock and Geib takes the vocals. She sure can belt it out and reminded me of both Ann Wilson and even Janis Joplin. “Parasitic Dame” is a piano bar style romp that certainly has shades of the music on Rocky Horror Picture Show. There is some great vocal work here and the song will certainly have people singing along. They close with “Tendency Towards Tangents” which returns to a jammy vibe but I would argue more Grateful Dead then Phish on this song. The music is top notch and the vocal harmonies are arguably the best on the EP.

As much as I enjoyed some of the individual songs I left the EP not knowing what to expect from an LP. Truth be told this is an important aspect to developing a large fan base. As far as talent goes it's undeniable that the band possesses it but hope to get a clearer idea of their sound on their upcoming releases. At the end of the day Anchor Lifted still is one for the win column due to the strength of the performances and technical prowess.

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