Tag: harem scarem

Okay, so a slight break in protocol here as it seems an age ago that this release was announced. I have been seriously interested to hear what the special mix for vinyl sounded like, and if the pressing would live up to my expectations. This was delivered today so the randomizer was bypassed just for today.

Hands on heart here as I think this is one of the best melodic albums ever recorded. Not a bad or wasted second is to be heard throughout the whole album. Every song is perfection and a masterclass in how to write and record the perfect rock album, and I’m pleased to report the pressing is excellent and sounds superb.

Now, I have lived with the CD near on thirty years so I know this album intimately. I find it hard to pick a favourite at the best of times as I really love it all, but for today it’s Change Comes Around. From the cool eerie atmos builder intro, to the stunning vocals and harmonies, and add in there Pete’s killer guitar, it’s a monster. But when those huge harmonies kick in mid way through, it gets even better and then even the fade out is killer. I’m telling you, no one writes tunes like these guys.

I’m not going to blather on and drool incessantly over the rest of the record, all I’m going to say is every one of you should own a copy of this album. It’s a nailed on banger.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

I recently reviewed Harem Scarem’s first album (and gave away a copy). Let’s move forward nearly 25 years to the release of this, Thirteen. Yup, they are still with us after having a few blips on the way and thankfully they are still making great records. There is no doubt that these guys know how to write killer melodic rock songs, and I’m glad to report this album is full of them. Highlights of which there are many.

Garden Of Eden is a superb track with a killer hook and chorus. Early Warning Signs is a great uptempo groover with a kick ass riff and groove, add to that Harry’s killer vocals and it’s my favourite tune. The superb close out tune Stardust has everything from a ripper of a riff to a superb groove, and I defy anyone not to sing a long to that hook and chorus . Superb tune! If melodic rock is your bag and you have not heard of these guys then where have you been?! This is another great album to add to anyone’s collection.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

So here it is… the 1,000th review! I’m not sure I thought I would get this far when I started this in the days of COVID, but here we are. Keep watching as there is going to be a giveaway for a mint new copy of this record.

I think I have said this before, but these guys really are Canada’s best kept secret. I think for them they were right place, but very wrong time. Five years earlier and they would have been huge – I’m so sure of that.

This album came out through Warners in ’91.  It’s melodic rock at its finest. We open up with Hard To Love – a great tune with a superb hook and chorus and killer harmonies – it’s definitely my favourite track on the album. Distant Memory takes the power down a notch, but man what a vocal – and Pete Lesperance rips a great solo. With A Little Love follows, and right from the start it’s melody 101. Killer harmonies, and the hook, chorus, and solo are huge. Honestly is a ballad, and we all know how I feel about those…but Harry’s vocals are incredible and I love the solo. Love Reaction is the close out track on Side 1, and those keys are right from the early 80’s. A superb riff, and it’s lighters in the air time with a killer sing-a-long hook and chorus.

Side 2 kicks off with Slowly Slipping Away, and these guys are the kings of the melody. Other than Journey, I’m not sure of any band that can do it consistently. All Over Again starts with just a guitar and vocal, and then the up-tempo groove kicks in – and BAM! – those melodies just hit you. It keeps coming on Don’t Give Your Heart Away, with a cool riff and a four-to-the-floor beat. A very moody keys intro, and a great chorus sounding guitar opens up How Long, before the groove and that huge hook and chorus slaps you in the face. The album closes out with Something To Say, and they finish with a ballad. It’s basically an acoustic and Harry. – that voice is a force of nature, and add the harmonies…no other band comes close.

This is up there with one of the best melodic rock/aor albums ever recorded, and yet not many people outside of the scene have heard of them. I will be giving away a minty fresh copy of this album, so look out for the post on how to enter in all my usual places.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

This is album number seven from Canada’s best kept secret, Harem Scarem. They have released 13 studio albums as themselves, two albums under the name of Rubber, plus numerous live and compilation albums – and there are still rock fans who don’t know who they are! Their first two albums are melodic rock classics that everyone should own.

This album first saw the light of day in 2002, and this is a 2019 Frontiers reissue. The title track kicks things off – the first thing that grabs you are the harmonies and the hook. Killing Me out does its predecessor as the vocals and harmonies are just superb. Outside Your Window has a very different groove – I love the guitar on this one. All I Want Is Everything has another killer solo from Pete Lesperance – who has to be one of the most underrated guitarists out there. He always plays what the song needs in such a beautiful way. They are kings at writing the syrupy ballad, and This Ain’t Over is definitely one of them. There is a short instrumental piece that closes out Side 1. It sort of frustrates me a bit as they could have done so much more with it.

The overall vibe of this album is somewhat poppy, and they were criticized for this at the time – hence the Rubber side project. You Ruined Everything feels like a tribute to Cheap Trick who are the kings of power pop. Charmed Life has a super cool groove and riff in the verse, and the chorus is super catchy – it’s my favourite on the album. More power pop vibes with If You, and I can see why they made the two Rubber albums – they seemed to have tapped into something. See Saw is a really interesting instrumental that shows what a great player Pete is. This is no shred fest though – its pure melody – even when the pace picks up. Voice Inside has a great uptempo beat and groove, and the key changes and middle eight are killer. The album closes out with End Of Time and it’s ballad city – they do them so well though that it’s hard not to get drawn in.

8/10 from The Grooveman.