Top tracks — play these first
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Sister Anne — This track captures the band's signature sound with its driving rhythm and urgent vocals, embodying their relentless energy and lyrical fervor.
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Baby Won't Ya — Featuring a catchy hook and infectious groove, this song showcases the MC5's ability to blend hard rock with soul influences, revealing their diverse musical palette.
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Future/Now — This track exemplifies the band's experimental tendencies, merging complex rhythms with socially conscious lyrics that evoke a sense of urgency about the future.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
High Time showcases raw energy and political themes but lacks the cohesive impact of its predecessor.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a high-energy track that features aggressive guitar riffs and driving rhythms, setting a fierce tone.
- Tracks often shift dynamics abruptly, with some songs featuring extended instrumental sections that emphasize the band's raw energy.
- Several tracks incorporate politically charged lyrics that reflect the social climate of the early 1970s, demanding attention from listeners.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo progression
- raw, energetic listening experience
- engaging lyrical narratives
- consistent emotional intensity
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on July 6, 1971, High Time was the MC5's third studio album and came after their groundbreaking debut, Kick Out the Jams. By this point, the band faced internal tensions and declining commercial success, as they were struggling to maintain momentum in the rapidly evolving rock landscape of the early '70s.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Stooges· New York Dolls· The Dead Boys
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Sister Anne 7:25
- 2 Baby Won't Ya 5:33
- 3 Miss X 5:11
- 4 Gotta Keep Movin' 3:26
- 5 Future/Now 6:23
- 6 Poison 3:25
- 7 Over and Over 5:15
- 8 Skunk (Sonicly Speaking) 5:31
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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