There is a lot going on with the opening track from House of Harm's new album. There is an 80s vibe to things that owes a great deal to the Cure, but there are more layers to it that than. The vocals are what seperates them from post-punk bands, and leans them in the direction of poppy indie rock. This is even more pronounced on the second song, the vocals are less pouty and the song is not as dark. There is a dream pop like atmosphere, that is set against new wave like drum programming , there might also be someone behind a kit, the production does not make this clear.
The guitar is not just a side dish on this album. It gets it's own place in the mix and is not just a jangle that flow in reverb like an under current. Sometimes the breezy pop feel of the songs, dances by without hooking you in , but then there are more shoe gazing moments like " the Face of Grace". It is not as focused as the first two song, but effective for what they are going for. "Soaked in Pastel" has a little more of a rock feel. Then they veer off in more of a Stone Roses like direction on "Two Kinds" ,
"Endlessly" is brighter and poppier with great vocals have a sound of their own while paying homage to the era. I will say at times they do remind me of the band the Nightmare of You, who has a stint during the mid 2000s. The guitar returns to the forefront on "Ignore the Taste". They have more of a Depeche Mode vibe for "Moving On" though the guitar is more like "Pictures of You". The last song seals the deal by filing them more in the dream pop side of things than post punk, But it works well for them and they did an excellent job of capturing the sound while not becoming a tribute band. I will give this one a 9.5.
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