Hailing from Somerset, high-energy 4 piece Banana High’s genre is hard to pinpoint. Taking influence from punk, ska and blues the band boasts consistently anthem heavy songwriting coupled with a sonic quality not dissimilar to late 90’s Green Day and Blur.
Their third, and latest, record ‘The God’s Are Sick Of Witnessing’ showcases three ska-soaked tracks, all with memorable hooks and impressive technical guitar work.
‘The Screens’ feels almost theatrical and operatic, conjuring images of a packed stadium and a full orchestra supporting the bold chorus and jarring lyrics. The bassline drives this track forward with feelings of urgency, mirrored by fast-paced guitar licks jumping up and down the octave. The bands lyrical content often focuses on generational issues surrounding technology and loss of individuality and is gripping from the get-go. Nathan Speechly’s powerful vocals dominate the record and the clearly thought-out backing harmonies hint a parallel to Panic! At The Disco’s style.
The introduction to ‘Blood & Oil’ reminisces on a style of music different to their usual: darker and moodier, but nonetheless musically impressive- packed full of chromatic guitar runs and complex rhythmic choices. When listening through to the track I can’t help but become intrigued by the lyrics, although often disguised through the thick timbre of Banana High’s distinctive ska-rock sound, they are cleverly crafted and tackle some worldly issues. Speaking to vocalist and songwriter Nathan Speechley gave insight into his songwriting process and the meaning behind the words: ‘the chorus is quite simple in terms of everything we do is for blood, oil, land, mindless entertainment, and I believe it’s all for control, we are doing everything that is expected of us.. that’s where the verse makes sense.. it’s easy to get lost in this rat race, but the further you distance yourself from it all the easier it is to disconnect from it’.
‘The Evil That We Do’ has proven to be the bands most successful track from the EP, and for good reason. The prominent instrumental stabs and food-for-thought lyrics make for a striking song intro: ‘tell me when the infection spreads and everybody turns’.
On watching the accompanying music video it becomes instantly obvious that these boys love what they are doing and have much more to offer. Jake Micklewright, punk-spirited drummer, commented that ‘we had a full script for the video… but as soon as 15 of us in full costumers were in a room together it all went out the window!’. Nonetheless, the video is professional and fun and sets a high bar for future visual content from the band. The video is available to watch here.
The best melodies are accidental
Nathan Speechley
The quartet’s passion for their craft and exceptional songwriting will undoubtedly see them go on to achieve great things in the future, but for now, you can check out their latest EP on all major streaming platforms and follow their updates on socials:
Instagram – @bananahighmusic
Bristol Music Journal 