Harvey Danger --
Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?
by Jessica Brandt
According to the band's website, this album isn't
necessarily new. In fact, it's been out (most likely only in their native
Washington) since July of 1997, and then was re-released a-la top 40 radio
in May of 1998. At any rate, this review coincides with it's recent
POPULARITY, not its statisticly correct newness.
The thing that drew me to this band was the line in the uber-catchy
"Flagpole Sitta'" which goes "Been around the world and found that only
stupid people are breeding." Yes! YES!! Another geeky, bespectacled, husky
young man (read: other than Steven Page of BNL) telling me that I'm not the
only one with these sorts of thoughts about the world.
So you've got your catchy "Flagpole Sitta'." Some other okay tracks on
this album are "Private Helicopter," which is about wishing for people who
used to be part of your life to return, and "Wolly Muffler" which has a
pretty cool name.
The first track, "Carlotta Valdez," is a little annoying with singer Sean
Nelson screaming the name over and over again, but it's a song about the
classic Hitchcock film Vertigo, so we'll give them the benefit of a
doubt that their somewhat cultured.
This band's music can, and will, be described as rock and roll, heavily
leaning towards punk. The lyrics are smarter than a lot of stuff I've
heard on the radio lately. Nelson's voice is definitely different, and I
can't decide if I dig it or hate it. I think he'll end up being one of
those singers with a very recognizable voice, like Randy Newman or Cat
Stevens.
Nothing about this album grabbed me, or really made me want to listen to it
too often, and I admit that I shelled out my $12.95 pretty much to hear
"Flagpole Sitta'." Yup, I'm so hot that I'm in Hell.....
[C+] [78%]
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