Winston Hightower’s “Selfish Soother” Is Lo-Fi Pop With Something to Prove

There’s a certain kind of record that doesn’t announce itself so much as just appear — sitting on the floor, slightly scuffed, absolutely certain of itself. Winston Hightower’s 100 Acre Wood is that record. The Columbus native and longtime hardcore sideman (Soul Glo, Minority Threat, Twompsax) steps to the front on his second LP, and the pivot feels completely natural.

“Selfish Soother” is a good entry point. Guitars bent and winding, vocal melodies that feel like they came from somewhere slightly outside normal musical logic — and yet the hooks are absolutely there, lodging themselves in your head whether you asked them to or not. Think Times New Viking and GBV filtered through a warmer, more introspective lens, with echoes of early Modest Mouse and Daniel Johnston rattling around in the walls.

Hightower has always been more comfortable in the background — but 100 Acre Wood makes a strong case that the front was where he belonged all along. Fourteen songs of carefree camouflage wrapped around a wistful heart. It’s radiant throughout.

100 Acre Wood is out April 17 on K/Perennial Records. Pick it up below.

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1“Moonside”

2“On Our Own Time”

3“Blum House”

4“Virtue Signaling”

5“Help Is On The Way”

6“High School”

7“Lay Low”

8“Selfish Soother”

9“Poppi”

10“The Me I Know”

11“Me Time”

12“Beyond The Thicket”

13“Fight For Frequency”

14“Circling The Dream”