Tall Heights – The Running of the Bulls EP

Tall Heights are an incredible duet. They have an uncanny ability to hit the exact notes that highlight one another’s vocals. It’s a beautiful and rare combination. I hesitate to put them in any comparison with Simon and Garfunkel or some similar artist. They are, in fact, all their own. There’s something inherently 21st century about their blending, but I’m not sure what to call it. Listen on.

The opening track “Man of Stone” is bold, if reflexive. What I mean by that is that its chord structure and vocal blending are admirable, particularly butressed by the iconic strings filling the duet. By reflexive, though, I mean that it’s not bold in the conventional sense. In the middle (maybe the bridge) the vocals are almost whispering. It’s a really well written song and comes together well in the recording.

The title track “The Running of the Bulls” shows off more of the intricate vocals, but seems to highlight the strings even more. There’s a real sense of perfection in the phrasing on the lyrics for this song. “Now I’m running for my life…” is about a relationship. Is it worth to you? Or will you let me run away? It’s a modern opera, methinks.

“I don’t know, I don’t know” has a bit of a pop flavor to it. This honestly could be compared to “Blackbird” by the Beatles or any number of songs by CSNY. That’s pretty high praise, intentionally so. “I never meant to come this far… I lost myself and I don’t know… my heart at all.” This is a powerful lyric about the uncertainty of love. It seems a fitting theme for a song with a delightful whimsical harmony structure. Be careful not to lose yourself in this one…
The fourth and final track on the album is “The Precipice,” which does not veer from the familiar chording and tone of the other songs. Albeit a bit slower, the song’s plodding rhythm is intentional in its effort to tell a story about the uncertainty of the future. The metaphor of the precipice seems appropriate to the unsureness evidence in the other lyrics. “I don’t know the future… yeah, yeah, yeah… yours were those that held me back as I toed the precipice.” The song then takes a great lyrical turn toward the possibility of flying, rather than falling. Clever, if not profound. Good work.

Start to finish this is certainly an album worth your time. These talented artists combine instruments and art forms, to say nothing of their vocals, with incredible deft. I am looking forward to their upcoming work that’s for certain.

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