Harem Scarem - Thirteen

[zacharyamelie]

After having this one for awhile, I've come realize that the new HS is very solid, yet predictable and safe. It is not as good as WOTW nor Higher, but better than Hope. I like HS's 21st century sound, but deep down inside I still wish they would release something that sounded more like the debut or Mood Swings.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

After having this one for awhile, I've come realize that the new HS is very solid, yet predictable and safe. It is not as good as WOTW nor Higher, but better than Hope. I like HS's 21st century sound, but deep down inside I still wish they would release something that sounded more like the debut or Mood Swings.

Once again, I agree with my francophone friend.

[Glen]

I pretty much love the whole disc. Stonking return.

[zacharyamelie]

I've had this one for about a month now and I'm still spinning it....probably the first time since Higher that I spin a Harem Scarem disc this often after a month.

 

My favourite track after multiple spins has to be 'All I Need', easily the bands best song since 'Afterglow' on Overload, if not the best they've done since their 2nd coming.

 

My biggest complaint with this release is the production, which isn't 'Savage Playground' bad but can somebody please mute those damn cymbals!!!!

[AlphaMale]

Very solid release. Still spinning daily. Tails off toward the end though.

[Geoff]

 

My biggest complaint with this release is the production, which isn't 'Savage Playground' bad but can somebody please mute those damn cymbals!!!!

 

Praise Jesus! I've been saying it for months, Brother Dave, and no one believes me.

 

The bad production has only been further evidenced in spinning my brilliant 'The Very Best of 2014' CDR. These tracks sound SO inferior production wise to basically everything else bar Angels and Kings.

 

Like you said, it's not unlistenable, but is the worst production job on a HS disc since 'The Big Bang Theory.'

[zacharyamelie]

Best of 2014 cdr....I've got one for the first half of 2014 that I buened in June and one for the second half of 2014 that I burned a few weeks ago....2014 was a great musical year.

 

The production could be better on many HS releases. The overpowering cymbals single handedly destroyed my enjoyment of 'Hope', why the hell are they so high in the mix? Give Thirteen a better production job and it would have cracked my top 5, because the tunes are fantastic. I also got tired of the weak production on the Brother Firetribe, such a hollow lack of substance production job.

 

The best production jobs of the year in my opinion are the Steel Panther (every SP production job is flawless), H.E.A.T, WOA and I love the Westcoast glossy job done on the State Of Salazar.

[Geoff]

Best of 2014 cdr....I've got one for the first half of 2014 that I buened in June and one for the second half of 2014 that I burned a few weeks ago....2014 was a great musical year.

 

The production could be better on many HS releases. The overpowering cymbals single handedly destroyed my enjoyment of 'Hope', why the hell are they so high in the mix? Give Thirteen a better production job and it would have cracked my top 5, because the tunes are fantastic. I also got tired of the weak production on the Brother Firetribe, such a hollow lack of substance production job.

 

The best production jobs of the year in my opinion are the Steel Panther (every SP production job is flawless), H.E.A.T, WOA and I love the Westcoast glossy job done on the State Of Salazar.

 

Barring modern rock, Steel Panther, HEAT, States of Panic and Vega would take home top honours for production for me in 2014. Purely on a production level, you prefer WOA to Vega?

 

Vega sounds fantastic to me, and it holds up against modern bands too.

[Glen]

Vega does not hold up....sounds thin and lacks oomph, although i do love the album.

 

Production on WoA is excellent as is HEAT, Steel Panther (of course they have bucks behind them) and also White Widdow and Ammunition sounded pretty good as well.

 

Ones which sounded well rough are Laneys Legion (WTF happened there), Harem Scarem (to a degree), Adriangale, Angels and Kings (almost demoish), In Faith (wasnt great)............

 

Of course most releases in 2014 will be eclipsed (pardon the pun) production wise by Eclipse - sounds sonically awesome from the clips. Also expect Toto to sound amazing.

 

For me it makes a huge difference if the production is good.....just look back to the last Crashdiet album (yuk!)

[zacharyamelie]

Vega probably sounds great production wise but I can't stomach Nick Workmans vocals....so I never purchased it. Sorry Geoff!

[KarpetRydOFunk]

The production could be better on many HS releases. The overpowering cymbals single handedly destroyed my enjoyment of 'Hope', why the hell are they so high in the mix?

 

As a drummer, I love hearing more drums in the mix. In this case, it's more the way he's playing, than the way things were mixed. He's leaving his hats open a bit, and he's really digging into 'em. I don't mind it at all.

 

But for cymbals that came out of nowhere and pierced my ears, it's actually your beloved Harem Scarem clones that were guilty. This bell needed to be reigned in. The first time I heard this song was through earphones, and the rest of the day my ears were ringing.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xshdlus_yPI

[Geoff]

Vega does not hold up....sounds thin and lacks oomph, although i do love the album.

 

 

I dunno mate. You either need a new stereo or new version of the CD. I remember you saying it earlier too, but to these ears, the Vega album is easily in the top 5 albums of the year production-wise.

 

Like I said, listening to my 'Best Of' MP3 disc, Vega holds up against any modern release, or SP etc. There is no way it's weaker than any of them.

 

As for the worst; yeah, Angels & Kings does literally sound like demos on my discs, Harem Scarem sounds way, way below par, as does In Faith, Brother Firetribe and Thief Club (which is essentially demos too).

 

One other one that sounds amazing is Bulletrain. Killer production job on that one.

 

@ Karpetface - that is my least favourite of all WW tracks so far.

[zacharyamelie]

Funny thing is it doesn't bother me on the WW, but the cymbals and muffled production on HS bother me.

 

The production job on the new WW isn't perfect, it's too close to the early HS production jobs, but the music is simply way too damn good.

[Glen]

@ Geoff.

 

As I said earlier in another thread, my main problem is due to my kids, Vega et al tend to come on in the car after the likes of Katy Perry, Olly Murs, Pixie Lott - which all sound amazing - so yeah, I guess if you are being picky, as a production job compared to other sub standard jobs Vega is pretty good.

 

But overall its thin.

 

The only 2 which really stand up against mainstream stuff is Steel Panther and HEAT.

 

Now SP I can understand cos the have $ behind them, but what is HEAT's secret, and why cant other bands in our genre replicate that sound??

[KarpetRydOFunk]

@ Geoff.

 

As I said earlier in another thread, my main problem is due to my kids, Vega et al tend to come on in the car after the likes of Katy Perry, Olly Murs, Pixie Lott - which all sound amazing - so yeah, I guess if you are being picky, as a production job compared to other sub standard jobs Vega is pretty good.

 

But overall its thin.

 

The only 2 which really stand up against mainstream stuff is Steel Panther and HEAT.

 

Now SP I can understand cos the have $ behind them, but what is HEAT's secret, and why cant other bands in our genre replicate that sound??

 

Why does Steel Panther have the money behind them? Who's backing them? Has that been mentioned?

[Geoff]

 

@ Geoff.

 

As I said earlier in another thread, my main problem is due to my kids, Vega et al tend to come on in the car after the likes of Katy Perry, Olly Murs, Pixie Lott - which all sound amazing - so yeah, I guess if you are being picky, as a production job compared to other sub standard jobs Vega is pretty good.

 

But overall its thin.

 

The only 2 which really stand up against mainstream stuff is Steel Panther and HEAT.

 

Now SP I can understand cos the have $ behind them, but what is HEAT's secret, and why cant other bands in our genre replicate that sound??

 

Why does Steel Panther have the money behind them? Who's backing them? Has that been mentioned?

 

 

Considering they've been signed to major label/s it kind of goes without saying doesn't it?

 

HEAT's secret is their Swedish. I don't know what it is about Sweden, but jeez there are well produced discs from that land. But otherwise, I assume HEAT are pretty massive in Sweden and probably have the equivalent of a major label production budget in their homeland.

 

As for Vega, I don't have Katy Perry to play it against, but like I said, any of the modern rock tracks on my compilations; Vega stacks up perfectly against them. I seriously cannot fault it.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

 

 

@ Geoff.

 

As I said earlier in another thread, my main problem is due to my kids, Vega et al tend to come on in the car after the likes of Katy Perry, Olly Murs, Pixie Lott - which all sound amazing - so yeah, I guess if you are being picky, as a production job compared to other sub standard jobs Vega is pretty good.

 

But overall its thin.

 

The only 2 which really stand up against mainstream stuff is Steel Panther and HEAT.

 

Now SP I can understand cos the have $ behind them, but what is HEAT's secret, and why cant other bands in our genre replicate that sound??

 

Why does Steel Panther have the money behind them? Who's backing them? Has that been mentioned?

 

 

Considering they've been signed to major label/s it kind of goes without saying doesn't it?

 

HEAT's secret is their Swedish. I don't know what it is about Sweden, but jeez there are well produced discs from that land. But otherwise, I assume HEAT are pretty massive in Sweden and probably have the equivalent of a major label production budget in their homeland.

 

As for Vega, I don't have Katy Perry to play it against, but like I said, any of the modern rock tracks on my compilations; Vega stacks up perfectly against them. I seriously cannot fault it.

 

 

Who are Steel Panther signed to? I can't be bothered to check.

[zacharyamelie]

Universal I believe

[AlphaMale]

Just listened to this last night. First time in awhile.

 

And I still love it! Especially, "The Midnight Hours", "Stardust", and "Whatever It Takes".

[KarpetRydOFunk]

Just listened to this last night. First time in awhile.

 

And I still love it! Especially, "The Midnight Hours", "Stardust", and "Whatever It Takes".

"Midnight Hours" was my favourite tune of last year.

[phaffas]

 

Just listened to this last night. First time in awhile.

 

And I still love it! Especially, "The Midnight Hours", "Stardust", and "Whatever It Takes".

"Midnight Hours" was my favourite tune of last year.

 

really? this was the first HS release i never cared about...

[KarpetRydOFunk]

 

 

Just listened to this last night. First time in awhile.

 

And I still love it! Especially, "The Midnight Hours", "Stardust", and "Whatever It Takes".

"Midnight Hours" was my favourite tune of last year.

really? this was the first HS release i never cared about...

Really? You're the first Aussie I never cared about...

 

 

 

 

 

I'm just kidding. I don't care for any Aussie.

[AlphaMale]

[Geoff]

Good album, horrible production/mix.