November 1993 | Rolling Stone

St. Johnny, a Connecticut band that likes their music loud and hard, are intent on a punk-edged sound that has more in common with the Ramones or Sonic Youth than with the latest Sub Pop release. In addition, St. Johnny possess a flair for songcraft, hooks and some of the most hummable melodies since Suede rocked the U.K. with hits like"Insatiable One."

A compulsive and at times atonal yeller, singer-guitarist Bill Whitten has moods on his album that range from clinically depressed to raging, from angry to dazed and confused, and ultimately, like most other punks who realize their screaming won't change the world, to numbness. While some of Whitten's lyrics are a bit self-conscious, most are effective and catchy.

"God in My Head" is a garage jam with malevolent riffs, woman-trouble lyrics, feedback and a skillfully jacked Animals quote. On "Highway," Whitten details nocturnal journeys on America's interstates. His objective? "Forget everything," drink wine, meet friends at the roadhouse, then keep on truckin'. The title track fuses sinewy beats and booming bass with a drawl of lazy guitar feedback to produce what sounds like Gothic bayou punk rock-a flavorful blend of genres and influences.

"Velocity," which sounds like Sonic Youth's "Wish Fulfillment" slowed down (minimal bass, retarded surf beats and guitar jangle), is , in addition to being one of this album's two standouts, one of those late-night, last-sip-from-the-keg kind of songs;a tune that reflects on lost loves, past mistakes and time wasted. Over a soul-stirring chord progression, Whitten expresses feelings of longing, hope, hopelessness and abandonment. On another standout, the teen-spirted"Go to Sleep," he stammers, "Don't care about Jesus' cause I got no shame," over Ramonesian chaos. "I wanna burn like a martyr in my Chevrolet."

If Whitten ever decides to go that route, he'll probably find a thousand fans in his back seat, all clutching copies of High as a Kite close to their hearts.

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