Review Summary: A youthful debut by one of the most well-kept musical secrets
Harvey Danger’s debut full length album
Where Have The Merrymakers Gone? was a well-kept secret hidden away from the majority of the public. It was a secret very few cared about, which is a damn shame, for it contains more than enough substance to deserve repeated listens by pretty much everyone. The recording contains the perfect mix of youthful spring break teenage fun and smart ass wit to make it more than just “that one CD with that one song on it”.
When it comes to this album, a majority of the tracks revolve around the bass, performed by the unfortunately now late Aaron Huffman. Literally the first thing you hear on this album is the buzzy, distorted, and catchy-as-hell bassline provided by him, which perfectly sets the album’s mood. I’m of course talking about “Carlotta Valdez”, a track that shows of the rest of the band’s skills incredibly well. Guitarist Jeff J. Lin uses his strings to ice the bass, adding a cool atmosphere to it that’s comparable to that of a summer breeze. Evan Sult also shows off his drum set nicely here, adding some nice, tight fills to the overall mix that adds to the care-free atmosphere. The vocals, provided by Sean Nelson, are also catchy and memorable, each line sung with a youthful passion.
Lyrically, the album ranges from stories of improving past relationships to paying respects to passing relatives. As one could tell, song topics on this album are not predictable, but one thing that’s guaranteed with this album is the quality of the lyrics themselves. The lyrics these guys could come up with are incredible, especially on slower, moodier tracks such as “Radio Silence”. It’s obvious how thought out they are, for lines like
“Some people surprise you with a real depth of feeling, and others may shock you with all that they’re revealing, but one thing’s for sure: there’s always more than you ask you” sound like they were taken straight out of an intellectual novel written by a famous writer.
The main downside with the album, however, is that the later portion of the record feels very flat when compared to the rest of the album. “Old Hat” and “Terminal Annex” have very little depth to them, or at least it seems that way when they’re shelved in between tracks like “Jack The Lion”, a heartwarming indie-punk tribute to a deceased father, and “Wrecking Ball”, a somber, quiet ballad of sorts that never fails at pulling my heartstrings. In other words, they’re dull tracks that are wedged in an inspiring album.
And while Harvey Danger’s fame didn’t last for more than 15 minutes, their catalog contained a beautiful amount of passion and inspiration that warrants enough respect by fans of rock music.
Where Have The Merrymakers Gone? is the most youthful recording of the band, thus making it perhaps the best starting point for those interested in the band. With all of this said, I myself feel as though I need to say something to pay my respects to not only Mr. Huffman, but the band as a creative outlet, and what better way to do so than by quoting perhaps one of the best songs they’ve ever written:
We thank you for uniting,
We thank you for the cause,
We thank you for the lion,
We thank you for the claws.
