My Favorite Highway, Anywhere But Here

When it comes to alternative emo bands, there’s certainly no shortage of aspiring talent. It seems like another whiney, longhaired group of adolescents pop up on radio and MTV every other day, replacing the boy bands of the 90’s with actual instrument-playing musicians. However, the recent surplus of young bands has meant only one thing: it’s harder to find the real talent behind the masses of wanna-be’s.

Fortunately, there is real talent out there waiting to be discovered. Case in point: My Favorite Highway. This young band from Fairfax, Virginia is comprised of cousins Will (bass) and David Cook (vocals/guitar/piano), Bobby Morganthaler (drums), and Pat Jenkins (guitar). The quartet came together after David dropped out of college because he was, “feeling uninspired” and after several line-up changes, have created the perfect combination of pop/rock with an alternative/punk flare. Their knack for incredible songwriting, catchy melodies, and infectious energy set them apart from the rest of the pop/punk masses.

My Favorite Highway’s latest release Anywhere But Here is a five-song compilation of their best and brightest. AbsolutePunk.net called the opening track, “Closer”, “an upbeat power-pop track” and said “surprisingly [the song] doesn’t live and die by the synthesizer. Instead, the synth accents an already strong piece of music, sucking the listener in for a closer (pardon the pun) examination.” (http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=211006) Track one is reminiscent of early The Rocket Summer, and Cartel; it’s the perfect medium for David to show off his uniquely flawed, yet surprisingly beautiful voice.

Anywhere continues with “Bad Habits”, a sly little track with a fistful of personality. Again, David’s voice is perfection on this track and the dancy beat of the chorus makes for an insanely catchy tune. PupPunkJunkie, an online music blog said, “Dave Cook’s clear voice will make My Favorite Highway your new favorite band.” Thanks to tracks like “Bad Habits” it’s only a matter of time until the MFH is at the top of everyone’s list.

It seems as though everyone loves MFH’s new brand of pop/rock. AwMusic.info said, “This album is definitely the total package when it comes to sound” and My Favorite Highway proves such resourcefulness with track three, “You’re Making It Come Alive.” AbsolutePunk.net called it a “radio-ready ballad that you cannot easily forget” and they’re right. This track is a nod to Something Corporate, circa 2004, and should have been all over MTV by now.

The final two tracks on Anywhere are more mellow and simplistic than the first three, but help to take MFH down a more Boys-Like-Girls-style path which has, no doubt expanded their fan base to teenyboppers everywhere. AbsolutePunk.net suggests that the more simplistic nature of the last two tracks “shows [MFH] have a little more work to do before they can take the music industry by storm,” but the change is more breath-of-fresh-air than lackluster-attempt.

Anywhere But Here is the perfect prequel to My Favorite Highway’s forthcoming release How To Call A Bluff, which is due in stores May 2009, courtesy of Virgin Records. And if it is a clear glimpse of what’s to come, MFH should have a pretty smooth ride ahead of them.

Fore more information of My Favorite Highway check out the band’s MySpace here.