PWNZ like: the Rocket Summer, Jack’s Mannequin, Between the Trees

 

            The Fairfax, Virginia band My Favorite Highway hope to spread optimism through their uplifting posi-pop sound. The band formed in 2005, founded by vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist David Cook and his cousin, bassist Will Cook, alongside drummer  Bobby Morgenthaler (who  appears on their material but left the band in March). David Cook was inspired by his father, a church worship minister who was also a musician and wanted to reach as many people as possible.

 

            Despite losing guitarist Andrew Goldstein (who later started the Fueled By Ramen act the Friday Night Boys) prior to recording and replacing him with Pat Jenkins, My Favorite Highway almost broke up in 2007. But the band persevered and signed to Virgin Records in 2008 and later rereleased their LP, How to Call A Bluff, in 2009. That same year, they were featured as one of Alternative Press’ 100 Bands You Need to Know special.

 

            How to Call A Bluff, which was produced by Paul Barber (the Bigger Lights) is inspirational and charged with electrical energy. The lyrics are raw and earnest, the music is like Between the Trees: grandiose and dramatic without being overdone. The lyrics on Bluff are easy to relate to—broad but not vague.

 

            “Say So” is a passionate piano-ladden pop song, where Cook’s vocals are grand and powerful like The Rocket Summer’s Bryce Avary. The message of the song is to always express your emotions and feelings—to be truthful to yourself and those around you. Basically, Cook urges the listener to open up. “Say So” is an amazing MFH song—it’s catchy, dancy and memorable.

 

            The slow-churning and contemplative “Walking on A Wire” is heartbreaking and remorseful as Cook clings to hope, begging a lover for forgiveness. On “Walking On A Wire”, Cook wants to give the relationship a second chance, admitting that no person is infallible and unable to not make mistakes. The guitars are heavy-hearted and lonely, adding to the weight of the gloominess of the song. The drums, which are usually adrenaline driven and loud, are soft and melancholic.

 

            Overall, MFH is a dedicated radio-friendly band that is striving to popularize posi-pop. In an industry that can sometimes seem shallow and flooded with negativity. We need more bands like My Favorite Highway.

 

Catch My Favorite Highway, on the Storytellers Acoustic tour. Check the dates here:

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