Known for his eclectic mix of musical styles, and at times reminiscent of a young, 70's obsessed Lenny Kravitz, Harper has divided his latest, and sixth studio album, into a double cd. One part mellow and acoustic, the other funky groove rock. This schizophrenic approach pays dividends. When he rocks out, you can hear the Stones, Free, and the Faces, in light boogie-woogie mode. When he wants to play it mellow, his voice sounds beautifully close to classic period Cat Stevens. As he points out “..One half is as raw and loose as anything i've ever done and the other half is as introspective and intimate as I've gotten – so much so that they clearly didn't fit together on one disc.â€
The first single and album opener, Better Way, is a hippy flavoured mantra of hope, delivered with the spirit and self belief of a modern classic. In similar fashion, Gather Round The Stone captures a cool Woodstock vibe. The title track tips a wink to 70's funky soul grooves, and highlights a social and political conscience – equally on Black Rain, a song written and recorded spontaneously the day after Hurricane Katrina. “If America ever needed a sign that its government don't give a shit about its citizens, that was it.†He says. Cryin Won't Help You Now has enough soul and sorrow to prompt images of Otis Redding in his prime.
Having been accused, in the past, of being too eclectic, mixing and matching too often, the double album approach seems the correct compromise. If you want to rock it up, his Stones homage, Get It Like You Like It will have you dusting down your air guitar, but it's the mellow moments that showcase Harpers strengths, and elevates an ok album to a good one.
Rob Barnett, Music News
The first single and album opener, Better Way, is a hippy flavoured mantra of hope, delivered with the spirit and self belief of a modern classic. In similar fashion, Gather Round The Stone captures a cool Woodstock vibe. The title track tips a wink to 70's funky soul grooves, and highlights a social and political conscience – equally on Black Rain, a song written and recorded spontaneously the day after Hurricane Katrina. “If America ever needed a sign that its government don't give a shit about its citizens, that was it.†He says. Cryin Won't Help You Now has enough soul and sorrow to prompt images of Otis Redding in his prime.
Having been accused, in the past, of being too eclectic, mixing and matching too often, the double album approach seems the correct compromise. If you want to rock it up, his Stones homage, Get It Like You Like It will have you dusting down your air guitar, but it's the mellow moments that showcase Harpers strengths, and elevates an ok album to a good one.
Rob Barnett, Music News
