By By Taylor Long
Those of us who succumbed to MTV culture in the late ’90s may remember Harvey Danger, a Seattle band that had a hit with “Flagpole Sitta.” Unfortunately, their second album, King James Version, didn’t meet as much success and yet another talented band was tossed into the “one-hit wonder” bin. Proving the blow dealt by the music industry was forceful, but not fatal, Harvey Danger recently released their third album, Little By Little.
Their latest effort shows the band maturing in ways good and bad. The opener, “Wine, Women and Song,” an injection of sorrow and bitterness delivered through infectious piano, is reminiscent of King James Version, whereas the single, “Cream and Bastards Rise,” would easily fit into Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? Otherwise, traces of the group’s previous efforts are merely hinted at instead of mimicked.
Harvey Danger shows their growth through the wide array of genres and emotions found throughout the tracklist. The foursome manages to touch upon a diversity of styles without any jarring deviations from their own. This is heard in the showtune-ish “Moral Centralia,” the rocked-out ballad “Little Round Mirrors” and the sparse “Diminishing Returns.”
The change that blatantly dominates Little By Little is a heavy reliance on piano and keyboards. While the instrument is used just as effectively as it was on King James Version, its prominence results in the album suffering at times from a slight “adult easy listening” mood.
Luckily, frontman Sean Nelson aged without losing his poetically snarky or knee-weakening lyrics. On “Cool James,” named after the suave, lip-licking rapper, he quips, “That’s why ladies love Cool James / ’cause the bastard changes.” Playful one-liners such as this are scattered among a sea of powerful imagery and clever word play and rhymes. An example of this is “What You Live By,” where he snarls, “Like carnivores to carnal pleasures / so were we to desperate measures.”
Second in greatness to the band’s return is the fact that Harvey Danger made Little By Little available for free download through their Web site. Of course, more dedicated fans can purchase the CD, with a bonus collection of b-sides and rarities. So, regardless of whether one chooses to buy Little By Little or download it, there’s free music to enjoy. Beat that music industry!