At the onset of The High Plains Drifters’ new single “He Reminds Me of You,” it’s difficult to know what’s about to come erupting out of the speakers in divine stereophonic sound. The melodies swell and the drums soon explode into dynamic, full-color audio, creating a path for The High Plains Drifters to ease their lyrics into the mix almost too seamlessly for a discerning critic like myself to accept without further examination. Repeat listens are something you’re likely to indulge in with “He Reminds Me of You” to put it mildly, and not just because of its critically stimulating intricacies. There’s a warmth to the vocals this band can offer that would work against any backdrop, but in this single, it has a springboard into the heavens like nothing else.
The High Plains Drifters’ singers make every second of their time at the mic a worthwhile experience for the audience, but I do think it’s worth noting that they don’t extend their voices into the instrumentation to such a degree that we lose sight of the fine lines within the arrangement. There was a lot of tender love and care put into the construction of the hook in “He Reminds Me of You,” not to mention the creative dimensions through which our lyricists can establish the words as gospel for those who need to hear the message in this track. To call this a loose piece explicitly just wouldn’t be doing it justice, nor would it be acknowledging the kind of ambition an act of this strength brings to the table.
Emotion transcends the limits of lyricism in “He Reminds Me of You,” and I would even go so far as to argue that because of the urgent rhythm the words are nudged forth by, they never fail to feel honest and cutting when it matters the most. There’s no stopping the momentum The High Plains Drifters produce when they step behind a verse they believe in here, and that connects not only with the sensibilities of their narrative, but the real-life way any of us experience the feelings they’re describing so vividly in this single. There’s no separation between band and audience in this performance outside of the sonic barriers created by an in-studio recording versus something done on stage in front of a crowd, which is more than can be said for anything topping the charts this winter.
I just discovered The High Plains Drifters for myself this past year, but I’m already starting to feel like I might have stumbled across one of the next big voices in pop/rock because of the sting they deliver so handily in “He Reminds Me of You.” This is a piece sporting melodic fireworks that never feel fluffed up by the recording studio, even after a couple of spins on the stereo, and if it’s just a sample of what The High Plains Drifters are going to be putting out under this moniker, the ceiling is nonexistent for their career moving forward. They have my endorsement, and I can see them gaining yours as soon as you pick up “He Reminds Me of You.”
Chadwick Easton