Highly Suspect should be, as their name suggests, the kind of band that raise a few eyebrows. Not only were they nominated for two rock Grammys last year -  for their debut album Mister Asylum and single Lydia - just as it seemed they were only starting out, but they have delivered a solid and worthy follow up with latest album The Boy Who Died Wolf. Tracks like My Name Is Human and Serotonia have already made it on their airwaves,  confirming for those that have known all along that Highly Suspect are not only  ‘one to watch’ but also one of the most singularly enigmatic rock bands to emerge on our radar in the last couple of years. Maniacs got the lowdown from drummer Ryan Meyer.

Maniacs - The Boy Who Died Wolf is your second album after making a huge impression with your debut Mister Asylum. How do you feel it turned out?

Ryan - We could be happier with the way this album turned out. The Boy Who Died Wolf is our most diverse album yet, featuring a cover song by Real Life, a solo piano blues jam with Johnny (Stevens – vocals/guitar), and a couple extra long songs with straight up instrumental jams.

Maniacs - How was the process of making TBWDW different to when you made Mister Asylum?

Ryan - Mister Asylum was an album that took several years to write. By the time we started the recording process, 90% of the songs had already been completed. When we went to the studio to make TBWDW there were only a few, so we spent a couple weeks in an LA hiphop studio just writing, and making stuff up.  A lot of the time was spent staying up late, making friends with the locals and seeking out inspiration… eventually we had enough musical compositions that only really needed lyrics and some producing to finish the album.”

Maniacs - The title of the album really turns the meaning behind the original phrase it’s adapted from (The Boy Who Cried Wolf) on its head – is that a reference to you as an artist and your approach to your music in general?

Ryan – Ya, that’s a really interesting way to look at it, i would have to say yes. Even though the idea is to leave its meaning to interpretation, there’s merit in this sentiment… we don't consider ourselves a ‘rock’ band so to speak because we don't really enjoy most of the current rock music that’s out there, and we don't want to be associated with it, even though a rock band is exactly what we are.

Maniacs - You’ve opted for some personally written notes in your booklet for each track rather than the traditional listing of lyrics – what was the idea behind this approach?

Ryan - The idea here was to give the viewer a peak into the writing process.  When a song is written, it often comes in bits and pieces at a time, so when you’re looking at only a few parts of the lyric and wondering to yourself ‘where’s the rest?’  now you have an idea of what it felt like to write it.

Maniacs – What can you tell us about the concept for the album and what is the story behind its link to the title?

Ryan - Eugenia Loli is the artist.  We really like the feeling this piece invokes, its the feeling of awe you get when somebody shows you the vastness of our reality, and how small you can feel at times.  Its what we feel like sometimes when we’re far away from home in a strange new place… we live for that feeling.

Maniacs - Can you tell us a little about your first single from TBWDW – My Name Is Human? 

Ryan - My Name Is Human, is a call to anybody listening to wake up and realize what you are.  

It’s a call for equality.

It’s a statement about humanity.

…The first step towards understanding the world is to understand ourselves. 

Maniacs - You chose to include a version of Send Me An Angel by local Australian band Real Life. What was it about this track that made you want to cover it for the album?

Ryan - The movie “RAD” came out around the time we were all born, and it features the original song Send Me An Angel. It’s a song that resonates with each of us : memories of riding bikes as a kid.

Maniacs - You were here in Australia earlier this year for some intimate club shows in Melbourne and Sydney – did you enjoy that quick trip and what were your impressions of Australia?

Ryan - Absolutely, yes please.  The beaches, the babes, the food, Australia has it going on!  we’ll be seeing y’all soon!

Maniacs - What have you been up to since you were last here in Australia? 

Ryan - After recording the new album, we spend a solid that months touring the states.  Then we went to England for a couple weeks, now we’re currently in our hometown, Cape Cod, USA  recording some footage for a documentary.  

Maniacs - We just have one more question for you - How is Pam (Highly Suspect’s pet cat)? 

Ryan - Pam is great!  Lucky for us we’ve got several friends back home who take care of her when we aren’t around, which is the majority of the time. 

Highly Suspect’s new album The Boy Who Died Wolf is out now through 300.