Since the mid-seventies, Kenne Highland has been involved in many (often concurrent) groups including the influential early punk bands Gizmos, and Afrika Korps. Upon moving to Boston in the early eighties, he fronted several outfits, most notably the Hopelessly Obscure, who leaned on the sixties for inspiration. After the Obscure had run out of steam, Kenne helped the nascent Exploding Pidgins get a start, eventually raiding the rhythm section to form the Kenne Highland Clan.
Most of the first side of Implode features the Exploding Pidgins who favored a more melodic and structured approach to their songwriting. Highland only contributes guitar and some direction to most of these tracks. It’s the vocals of Robin Vaughn that take center stage and give most of these tracks a softer radio-friendly feel. The instrumental “Loose” is the exception, however, with its aggressive syncopated rhythm and heavily-fuzzed guitar pushing out at the musical boundaries of the rest of their material.
Pausing for a lineup change, the Exploding Pidgins mutated into the Kenne Highland Clan before recording side two of this album. And, it’s like flipping a switch! The band gets kicked back into the garage and told to turn it up. And crank it they did from the heavy version of the Count V’s “Peace of Mind” and rollicking “Conspiracy” to the soulful “Fiasco” and the very spontaneous psychedelia of “Reincarnation” which is some of the most inspired music Kenne ever recorded. Catch Highland on an inspired night, and he’s truly one of the best.