But Harpswell won’t let you wallow in their sound for too long. They follow “Gas” immediately with the jump blues of “Skitter,” showing off the rockabilly chops of new-found bassist Kris Day, of King Memphis and Sean Mencher Combo fame. Throughout the album, Day ably fills the hole left by the “retired” John Takami, but one has to wonder how Day can continue with bands as successful and busy as King Memphis and his soon-to-be mates in Jerks of Grass and remain committed to a band like Harpswell Sound, who’ve so successfully separated themselves with an original and engaging sound.
I certainly would try to find a way to keep him around after the performance he puts in on the instrumental “Ride” (and how can you argue with a band who makes room for an instrumental on its 13-song album?). The piece opens psychedelic like the Sadies can be, a call and response between the two guitars, one bouncing a quick strum, the other following with a quick run of notes. But Day’s bass drives the song early, a Latin vamp recalling Built to Spill in its more aggressive moments. At almost exactly the half-way point, though, the tune takes a serious slow-down, while guitars talk to each other about where they want the song to go. Are we hearing some improv in the third minute here? Finally, everything quiets and the bass comes back in, following the guitar lines for melody until the finish. Exquisite.
“Ride” is sandwiched between Ron Harrity’s two turns on lead vocals, neither of which quite live up to the excellent “Funfair” from Skylight, but definitely add an infusion of pop and intrigue, especially with the not-as-silly-as-it-sounds “Walking Rabbits.” A modern honky-tonk, listen for the chord walks from the G to the C.
The disc finishes with the epic nostalgia tune, “Sing for You,” which could easily serve as ode to wife or daughter. Hughes begins the piece solo, with bright and naked guitar chords. Talk about mixing? You’ll never notice when the bass and drums enter. “The sidewalks round here are made with old bricks,” Hughes sings in the second verse, “and some need repair/And I’d have it no other way/This is how we slowly age/And this old neighborhood will be here when we’ve packed up for good/And my girl, don’t be blue/I’ll sing for you, I’ll sing for you.” Then he enters into a “la da da/la da da” chorus of the type found all over this album, increasing in vocal tracks and guitar swirls and cymbals crashing. A guitar break finishes, distorted and crunchy, just the sort of grit the song needs, with dissonant notes clanging longingly in the background, one solitary note ringing out as the album fades.
Try not to be disappointed that no other song follows.
Harpswell Sound + Dan Blakeslee + Dead End Armory | June 3 | Geno’s, Portland | 207.450.7992
On the Web
Harpswell Sound: www.harpswellsound.com
Email the author
Sam Pfeifle: sam_pfeifle@yahoo.com
