Harem Scarem - Thirteen

[AlphaMale]

 

Man.... songs 4 through 8 and track 10 are melodic bliss!

 

I love the whole disc with track 2 being the weakest track.

I'd argue that's not even a weak track, though.

 

 

And I'd agree. It's the weakest track but not a weak track.

[Glen]

I pretty much love the whole thing. Takes a couple of spins but the hooks are pretty monstrous.

[zacharyamelie]

I've still only listened to the samples but I think overall this will be their best release since Higher. The only thing that is preventing me from freakin' out over this one is Harry's vocals. Is it just me or are they even more harsh and raspier than ever before? Kinda grates the ears at times....I'm sure I'll get over it after a few real spins of the cd...when I eventually get it.

[heavyharmonies]

I've always found his vocals raspy. The choruses more than make up for it.

[Nightrain]

I love 'Garden of Eden' instantly, 'Live It' has that QUEEN touch which was found in one track at 'Human Nature', forgot the song title

I dig that track and I think at least 8/10 is warranted.

Just through to track 5, what a perfect ballad, i'm quite sure after couple more spins, this disc will shine and still not sure whether it's top 10 but probably top 20 is for sure

[AlphaMale]

Garden Of Eden 9/10
Live It 8/10
Early Warning Signs 8.5/10
The Midnight Hours 10/10
Whatever It Takes 10/10
Saints And Sinners 9.5/10
All I Need 9/10
Troubled Times 8.5/10
Never Say Never 8.5/10
Stardust 10/10

Score: 91%

[Mullethead]

I really hate to say it but this is one of the biggest let downs of 2014. I expected way more...basically, if you have heard all the albums from Higher to Hope then you have heard this before.

[heavyharmonies]

I really hate to say it but this is one of the biggest let downs of 2014. I expected way more...basically, if you have heard all the albums from Higher to Hope then you have heard this before.

 

Quoted for posterity.

 

So you were hoping it would be different from HS's signature sound? What could they have done that would have been an improvement in your ears?

 

I suppose next time around they could do a thrash album....

[metalmaniac777]

I suppose next time around they could do a thrash album...

For the record, I would be all over that.

[Glen]

 

I really hate to say it but this is one of the biggest let downs of 2014. I expected way more...basically, if you have heard all the albums from Higher to Hope then you have heard this before.

 

Quoted for posterity.

 

So you were hoping it would be different from HS's signature sound? What could they have done that would have been an improvement in your ears?

 

I suppose next time around they could do a thrash album....

Yeah really odd comment. I reckon this is pretty much what most fans were expecting.

 

Takes a few spins but I love it

[KarpetRydOFunk]

 

 

I really hate to say it but this is one of the biggest let downs of 2014. I expected way more...basically, if you have heard all the albums from Higher to Hope then you have heard this before.

Quoted for posterity.

 

So you were hoping it would be different from HS's signature sound? What could they have done that would have been an improvement in your ears?

 

I suppose next time around they could do a thrash album....

Yeah really odd comment. I reckon this is pretty much what most fans were expecting.

 

Takes a few spins but I love it

 

 

It took all of half a spin, and I was hooked.

[Geoff]

 

I suppose next time around they could do a thrash album...

For the record, I would be all over that.

 

 

My urine would be all over that.

 

Anyway, if I could chime in for Jared, I like their recent sound and I like the new CD plenty enough. BUT... I said in another thread somewhere a while back - probably when the new disc was announced. What I'd like from them in an ideal world, is for them to just "simplify" things. I'd personally like a mix of their debut, and of Hess' 'Living in yesterday.'

 

I do like their non-typical lyrics and would be the last to wish a band would write sappy love songs, but I would kind of love a new Harem Scarem disc with a simpler subject matter like the debut, or, as noted, Hess' last solo album. They're very classy song writers and don't write sap for the sake of sap, and I'd like to hear them do something like this again. It suits them well.

 

Also, I just need to mention the production. It's fine. But imo, their most well produced album is - surprisingly to some, I'm sure - 'Weight of the world.' I loved the sound on that and they need that again too. Their discs are all well produced, but I feel could generally be better. IMO.

[Glen]

I think this is one of the better sounding discs ive heard this year.

[Nightrain]

Garden Of Eden 9/10

Live It 8/10

Early Warning Signs 8.5/10

The Midnight Hours 10/10

Whatever It Takes 10/10

Saints And Sinners 9.5/10

All I Need 9/10

Troubled Times 8.5/10

Never Say Never 8.5/10

Stardust 10/10

 

Score: 91%

 

Three spins in and it's getting better and better. I gave it around 89%, cheers dude for another close round here

sitting at #8 spot on my top ten chart, hooray for that, Harem Scarem did it !

[Stefan]

[Mullethead]

 

I really hate to say it but this is one of the biggest let downs of 2014. I expected way more...basically, if you have heard all the albums from Higher to Hope then you have heard this before.

 

Quoted for posterity.

 

So you were hoping it would be different from HS's signature sound? What could they have done that would have been an improvement in your ears?

 

I suppose next time around they could do a thrash album....

 

They can try thrash if they want and I would buy it but the issue is the album sounds "samey" and like scraps from the albums I mentioned. Maybe I expected them to make a move to sound a bit more like the earlier stuff as Mood Swings II set me up for that. In that aspect, for me it let me down and the albums I mentioned above were done better than this album.

[Geoff]

I think this is one of the better sounding discs ive heard this year.

 

Production-wise? You serious? I played it again today (I think just trying to hear why you guys are so positive about it) and it really reinforced the production issue for me. Like I said, it's not like it's bad. But I find it muddy and not as clear as their peers. Just randomly, I spun the new Lawless and Neonfly discs around this, and aside from being incredibly inferior song-wise, the production is so much better on simple discs like this. And then I spun the new Miss Behaviour again - a genuine peer - and it just sounds a million dollars compared the this. The drums are clear and "full" sounding and the vocals are crystal clear. The whole thing just sounds crisp and fresh, compared to, like I say, the muddier HS approach.

 

The song I most noticed it on is 'Troubled times.' Listening back to this, I think that's actually probably the best song on here. A really, really killer hook and great verses. Love the tune, but somewhere in the mix/production, I feel like a great opportunity's been taken away. Making the song very good instead of amazing.

 

Anyway, to each their own. It's all relative anyway. When I said a couple of unfavourable comments about the new HEAT disc everyone just assumed I hated it, which is far from the truth, as it is with this. I even said in my initial post it's still better than 90% of stuff that gets released. But I consider myself a far reviewer and I have to view this unbiased and that's how I roll. It's a good disc, but it is definitely flawed.

[Mullethead]

If everyone likes it so much I have the 2CD Japanese version with bonus track I will sell you

[Glen]

If everyone likes it so much I have the 2CD Japanese version with bonus track I will sell you

 

as do i - how does it sound to you?

Mine sounds fine.....which makes me believe that Geoff is listening to dodgy MP3s??

Cheers

[Geoff]

 

If everyone likes it so much I have the 2CD Japanese version with bonus track I will sell you

 

as do i - how does it sound to you?

Mine sounds fine.....which makes me believe that Geoff is listening to dodgy MP3s??

Cheers

 

 

Yeah, I'm not sure I'll be gifted the CD before the close of this year, so it's MP3s for now - but so far all the other albums I've listened to on MP3 first have sounded more or less identical when I obtained the CD.

 

Play it back to back with the new Steel Panther disc and then tell me I'm stoned.

[heavyharmonies]

If everyone likes it so much I have the 2CD Japanese version with bonus track I will sell you

 

I'll bite. How much?

 

Seriously though, I wouldn't mind picking it up. I only have the promo digital audio from Frontiers, and I'm curious as to how the fidelity actually stacks up comparisonwise.

[Glen]

 

 

If everyone likes it so much I have the 2CD Japanese version with bonus track I will sell you

 

as do i - how does it sound to you?

Mine sounds fine.....which makes me believe that Geoff is listening to dodgy MP3s??

Cheers

 

 

Yeah, I'm not sure I'll be gifted the CD before the close of this year, so it's MP3s for now - but so far all the other albums I've listened to on MP3 first have sounded more or less identical when I obtained the CD.

 

Play it back to back with the new Steel Panther disc and then tell me I'm stoned.

 

 

Comparing anything to a Steel Panther production would sound shit.

 

I have already mentioned that Hess's vox sounded a little buried....which they do. However comparing back to other HS discs the production stands up.......its not the best ive ever heard, but certainly not bad enough to relegate an excellent song (of which there are many) to very good.

[Geoff]

 

 

 

If everyone likes it so much I have the 2CD Japanese version with bonus track I will sell you

 

as do i - how does it sound to you?

Mine sounds fine.....which makes me believe that Geoff is listening to dodgy MP3s??

Cheers

 

 

Yeah, I'm not sure I'll be gifted the CD before the close of this year, so it's MP3s for now - but so far all the other albums I've listened to on MP3 first have sounded more or less identical when I obtained the CD.

 

Play it back to back with the new Steel Panther disc and then tell me I'm stoned.

 

 

Comparing anything to a Steel Panther production would sound shit.

 

I have already mentioned that Hess's vox sounded a little buried....which they do. However comparing back to other HS discs the production stands up.......its not the best ive ever heard, but certainly not bad enough to relegate an excellent song (of which there are many) to very good.

 

 

Yeah, that's kind of the problem, though. To be honest, it's not a new thing for HS; the production issue. The thing is it's never been bad. It's always been above average. But for the most part, it could always have been better.

 

I think for it's time the debut still holds up, as does 'Mood Swings.' I'd say 'Believe' does also, and like I said above, I think 'Weight of the world' is their most well produced album.

 

All of the others, though, they all suffer a similar good-but-could-be-better sound quality. The most obvious example is probably the 'Big Bang Theory' disc, where the mix was actually pretty bad. Muddy vocals and the drums were 90% symbals and only 10% reserved for the rest of the kit to shine through. Everything since 'Weight of the world' has been similar - all well enough produced, but none as good and crisp and clear as 'Weight of the world.' This new one just seems to be possibly the weakest production/mix since 'Weight of the world.' I don't know if it's because of the way it was recorded and the budget, however that works with those fund raising things... but it just sounds a bit off to me.

 

Like I said, it doesn't need to be Steel Panther to compare it to. Try Miss Behaviour, or Vega. Basically, most of their peers' production/mixes will be better than this, unfortunately.

[Glen]

mmm im not convinced at all by the Vega production......love that album, but the production is not all that great imo.

 

I know this will sound a bit weird, but the kids have Katy Perry, Pixie Lott and Olly Murs cds in the car and when Vega comes on after these it sounds shit............just saying.

[Geoff]

mmm im not convinced at all by the Vega production......love that album, but the production is not all that great imo.

 

I know this will sound a bit weird, but the kids have Katy Perry, Pixie Lott and Olly Murs cds in the car and when Vega comes on after these it sounds shit............just saying.

 

Yeah, if you're going to compare it to stuff like that, it probably would sound inferior. But within our genre, it sounds as good as anything... to me.