HARLOT - Positively Downtown

[Delbert]

I've just finished giving the new Metalic Blue Records release, HARLOT "Positively Downtown" a good listen and what an enjoyable listen it was.  The overall sound of this album is melodic hard rock with a bluesy vibe, although not every track has the blues focus.  The very first track, "Strip" is a great in your face song with huge guitars, killer grooves and lots of attitude.
By the time I got to track 3,"Comin Home", the bluesy sound kicked in with a harmonic sounding affair in the vein of something you would hear from bands such as CRAZY JOE or JUNKYARD complete with harmonica.  Track 4 and 8  are the only two heartfelt ballads with "Legends" being a beautiful acoustic sounding affair.
Track 5, "Let 'em Ride" was one of my favorites.  It's a midtemp song that's not just formula songwriting.   The vocals are razor sharp and glammy sounding in the vein of POISON.  
By the time I got to track 9, "Fooled By Love" I was hooked on this album.   This track is a mid tempo song that is in the ghostland between melodic hard rock and harder rock roots which is well performed with imagination.  Track 10 , "Kiss Kiss (You're Dead)" is another track that really pulled my chain.  Larry Dee's shrill voice delivers some mile high vocals that are sharp and melodic.
Winding up the 11 track album is a song filled with blistering guitars and plenty of hooks titled "Hand Full Of Hell".  It combines some cool backing vocals for those who enjoy melodic metal loud and in your face.   I should make note that there was a bootleg version of this album on CDR a few years ago.  The first 9 tracks of that version are on this album which includes two additional bonus tracks.   Three of the tracks on the bootleg version are to be released on the VAMP album coming from Metalic Blue Records.   Harlot was originally formed in 1986 under the name of VAMP and a name change occured in 1988 to Harlot at the suggestion of a major label considering signing the band.   Although the signing never materialized, the band continued as Harlot until breaking up in 1995.   By picking up both the HARLOT and VAMP releases I have all of the tracks that were recorded by this Utah based band during their time together.

 

[headbanger4life]

I had picked this up back in 2006 when Retrospect Records put it out but I found out from someone at Metallic Blue Records that it wasn’t authorized by the band and is a bootleg. I will probably be picking up the newer version. Especially since the Retrospect one was a cd-r release and this one has some bonus material.

[Delbert]

5 minutes ago, headbanger4life said:

I had picked this up back in 2006 when Retrospect Records put it out but I found out from someone at Metallic Blue Records that it wasn’t authorized by the band and is a bootleg. I will probably be picking up the newer version. Especially since the Retrospect one was a cd-r release and this one has some bonus material.

Plus you'll pick up 2 additional tracks not on the Retrospect version.....

[Dead Planet]

Another good release....too bad shipping costs outside the US are so steep...and from what I hear they are going to get worse...

[AlphaMale]

On 10/3/2021 at 6:27 PM, headbanger4life said:

I had picked this up back in 2006 when Retrospect Records put it out but I found out from someone at Metallic Blue Records that it wasn’t authorized by the band and is a bootleg. 

Say it ain't so!

[headbanger4life]

On 10/8/2021 at 12:12 PM, AlphaMale said:

Say it ain't so!

Not sure if that was for sarcasm but yeah. It wasn’t the only one either. They reissued the Rock Boulevard cd earlier this year and the band said that Retrospect Records version wasn’t authorized by the band is a bootleg.

[lettard]

Have ordered both this and the V.A.M.P cd...they sound like right up my street.