Hearing KID HARPOON'S 'The First EP,' it would be easy to know what to expect from this particular singer-songwriter. Bitterish songs, nice tunes and probably a career of impressing with the lyrics. The songs were catchy and hugely enjoyable, but not necessarily remarkable. Definitely good, but no Lupen Crook.
But he returns with a second clutch of songs that ensure from now on you can expect the unexpected. This time around, things are darker, more vitriolic, and pleasantly different to what came before. 'Riverside' is a menacing, rockier effort; a warning to someone who won't appreciate the sentiment. “I will watch you sink to the river bed,” he snarls with full band backing – it's not all acoustic for this act. This is the sound of The Decemberists on a revenge mission.
The introduction of the band element is perhaps most present on mediaeval sounding 'Fathers and Sons,' which at time falls into soft-rock stadium anthem riffing that detracts a little from how good the song is. 'In The Dark' also takes on some epic qualities; it's a sound arrangement, but perhaps a little too big for it's own good, for at times you can feel it growing a mullet and itching to noodle away into the night. Compared to the other tracks on the EP this is overblown and weak.
|
'Suicide Grandad' would be the most typical sounding song – it has the main features that make Kid Harpooon interesting. The lyrics are bleak but the tune is chirpy – it's an acoustic number that is centred around the words, with the guitar merely providing the backdrop.
Whilst the EP starts vitriolic, it plays out more fragile with 'Lay of the Land,' a break-up lament that will mean many things to those who have experienced the dark night of the soul. These songs work best when they tell something a little different; a little personal, and lyrics here are definitely not generic. “My insides are numb as I watch you suffocate by my head” - it's not your standard broken heart.
Kid Harpoon has to be commended for trying and testing various elements of his sound, and there is a depth here that makes him one to watch in 2008. Full marks for being potentially prolific, and also for being creative. It doesn't always work, but when it does there's something very special building here.
|
