Customer Reviews

Early Years

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I recently purchased this at a local store, and had to order it. I was not disappointed!

HAREM SCAREM is a melodic rock band that was formed in the late 80's or early 90s. Their music is catchy, the production is superb, and the songwriting is great. The singer has a raspy sort of voice, but he can sing melodies to rival those of Freddie Mercury, Steve Perry, or Joe Elliott (Def Leppard). The guitarist is a good, skillful soloist (it sounds like he has been influenced by Steve Vai, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), and Ronnie Le Tekro (TNT)), and he plays tasty and often complex rhythms. The supporting band is good and solid.

Their music has changed over the years, always remaining melodic in nature. This early material is more 80's rock inspired, and as long as that's okay with you, you will enjoy this collection. When you listen, you know you are hearing the work of 4 guys who know what they are doing... these crafstmen know how to put great songs together, whether it's a great rocker, or a great ballad.

WHATEVER I WANT is a phenomenal 80's style rocker. I just can't get enough of the awesome sounding drums in the track. The only problem is that it's hard to sing along because the singer sings higher than I can, physically! END OF TIME is a fantastic ballad with much feeling and emotion. It's in my top ten songs of all time, and it will touch you to the core. Both are in this collection, and the price of the CD is worth those two tracks alone.

Only in a perfect world would HAREM SCAREM be as popular as they should be today! This is a great buy.

I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting from Harem Scarem: The Early Years. I kind of figured it would showcase the band playing radio friendly pop metal in a Von Groove/Firehouse vein. Given the outfits and hairstyles on the cover, can you really blame me? The Early Years wasn't at all what I was expecting, and at times I wasn't even sure this was Harem Scarem at all.

The demos and other early recordings collected here bear little resemblance to the modern AOR Harem Scarem we all know and love. Pete Lesperance's guitar work is pretty solid, but Harry Hess apparently had not yet found his true voice, so to speak. The band's considerable songwriting skills were not yet evident on most of these recordings. The songs are decent enough, but pale in comparison to what you hear on the band's debut album.

Ultimately, the Early Years is for die-hard Harem Scarem fans only. It's an interesting look at the band's formative years, but not something you'll find yourself reaching for very often. If you're not yet familiar with the band, you're much better off with one of their studio albums. Just pick one; they're all fantastic.

The highlight of the album is the original version of "Honestly", one of the best AOR ballads ever. This album is essential if you have the Harem Scarem debut and Mood Swings.