Album Review — Harem Scarem

Harem Scarem — Change The World

One of the benefits of this new normal is being able to branch out and listen to some different bands. Harem Scarem is a band you might not have heard of, but they have been around since 1987. Hailing from Toronto, the band’s newest release, “Change The World”, is their fifteenth studio record to go along with many live albums and compilations.

The band still features two original members in Harry Hess (vocals/keys) and Pete Lesperance (guitars). Hess sounds quite a bit like Kelly Hansen (Foreigner/Hurricane) but with a little more rasp when needed. I would describe Harem Scarem’s style as melodic rock featuring big hooks, guitar centered songs with keyboard accents.

The album starts with the title track which isn’t as heavy as I expected, although it does set the tone of the big hooks that are to come. Style wise, think a more modern Survivor.

My favorite track on the record, “Aftershock”, is next. At first I thought Kelly Hansen was guesting on this track. Hess shows his range as this track has a little more punch to it. This is high quality rock and roll.

“Searching For Meaning” continues the upbeat start to the record. I wouldn’t call the songs overly complex but they are heavy on big choruses and guitar hooks.

Another upbeat track with a little more meat to it, “The Death Of Me”, sees Hess show off a little more gruff in his delivery. Another high quality track that reminds me of recent releases by H.E.A.T. and Eclipse.

We get a change of pace next with “Mother of Invention”. It has a very Queen sound in the verses which I appreciate. The chorus is more of what we’d expect but the two styles fit nicely.

“No Man’s Land” starts with a fairly heavy guitar riff and a little more groove. But again with the hooks as this album is relentlessly catchy.

The albums continues in the same vein to the last note. “Fire & Gasoline” is another slightly heavier track and the album closer, “Swallowed By The Machine”, rounds out the record as it started with another melodic rocker.

This album’s strengths could also be seen as its weaknesses. There are so many hooks that the songs could tend to run into each other a bit as there isn’t a lot of variety here. The formula works, but is it too much of a good thing? The best albums show a little more restraint and variety, and if I’m going to nit pick, that would be where I’d go.

But if you like the melodic rock formula this is textbook. If great vocals, big hooks and guitar driven melodies are your thing, this album is for you. Luckily for me, those are my thing so I dig this record. It doesn’t quite meet the heights of the upper echelon releases of the last few years, but it is well worth your time to check out. I know I’ll be checking out their back catalogue during this quarantine season.

90 out of 100

Track Listing

1. Change The World
2. Aftershock *
3. Searching For Meaning
4. The Death Of Me *
5. Mother Of Invention
6. No Man’s Land *
7. In The Unknown
8. Riot In My Head
9. No Me Without You
10. Fire & Gasoline *
11. Swallowed By The Machine *

*Best Songs