"Contact High" is the Antipodean rockers follow up to their debut album "Welcome Aboard The 36-10". Over the past 12 months they've honed their set by touring with You Am I, Bosshog and The Supersuckers. Still signed to Modular "Contact High" is a splendid follow up.

Rocket Science are a swirling hybrid of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Gallon Drunk and the late but great Jonathan Fire Eater. They sound like a bunch of hard rocking guys on the surface, but on closer inspection the less rawkish moments show intelligence, sensitivity and subtlety. Rocket Science know how to make dirty, squalid rock 'n' roll like the unbelievably decadent "Heavy Traffic". It is kinda retro with the inclusion of a cool yahama organ, a sound I love by the way, but remains both exciting and crucial to the bands overall sound. Roman Tucker has the vocal technique of a man who smokes 40 Marlborough's a day on a strict diet of tequila. It's a voice of a man who has live a life of non stop debauchery since the day he learnt to walk.

A lot more sedate but with an edge that chills, thrills, unnerves and unsettle you is the softly sung, atmospheric "Hyperspaces" which shows a lot of restraint for guitarist Paul Maybury. "Silver eyes conceive nuclear blast is a lyric Thom Yorke could only dream of. Imagine Black Rebel Motorcycle Club jamming with the Stooges and you'll understand the power of the track "Crazy". This song takes no prisoners. All the screaming and yelling just adds to the overall effect of having a good time. "Open Air Channel" is a lot like 60s garage rock meets prog rock epic excess for a jamming session par excellence.

"Contact High" shows Rocket Science improving by being more ambitious and focusing on the songwriting while still keeping the energy of their debut album

Nicholas Paul Godkin