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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Different sound, same songwriting, June 21, 2004
After the semi-success of Folk Implosion in 1995 with the song Natural One. Fans were eagerly waiting to see what Lou Barlow would do next. The result is this.Harmacy is a total indie sound. No more low-fi, no more Eric. We're in the NORMAL stage now. With songs like On Fire, Willing to Wait, Beauty of the Ride and Open Ended making this seem more like an almost different band but the songwriting is still there as is the hard rock/punky songs to fill in for these more pop sounding songs. The harder songs are actually the better ones, but something comes to mind. Without Eric writing these, they sound disturbingly close to Mudhoney or Nirvana especially Crystal Gypsy and Love to Fight which have the grungy guitar sounds and the Mark Arm-like signing. Then there's Can't give up, Worst thing and Nothing like you which sound like Nirvana-esque tunes. Can't give up actually reminds me of Pearl Jam a bit in some cases. A few instrumentals on here also, Weed against Speed (I'd take speed), Szforando! (don't quite get it) and Hillbilly II (hilarious Mudhoney-type song) which make for some jammin songs with no signing. The whole album is worth listining too if you're a new fan to Sebadoh (This was the first I got from Lou) the sound is there and so is the soungwriting but it does lose a star for the lack of ANGER. The past albums had more emotion and anger to fill the void of these depressing love songs goen wrong. And without Eric there, I think half the anger is gone (if you don't believe me, then listen too "As the world dies from Sebadoh III). But still Sebadoh snowballs as you progress into their catalouge of music. What's next after this? Try the Freed Weed or Bakesale if you're a new fan. I highly recommend this awesome piece of indie rock.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Incredible, April 29, 1999
When I first heard Harmacy, the opening track shocked me with its incredible beauty. Lou Barlow has written many beautiful songs, but "On Fire" tops them all. And the tracks which follow are the same kind of mix of power and beauty which I thought Sebadoh had perfected on Bakesale. But they surpass Bakesale on this one. Buy this album--if you like beautiful and powerful rock, you will not be disappointed. I also have to mention that one critic said they listened to this album over and over again and "didn't get it." If you believe as I do that there isn't anything profound or important to "get" about an album, and the experience of incredible music you want to listen to over and over again is all you want, buy this album.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
harmacy equates harmony, November 26, 2001
Prior to purchasing this album, I had heard so much exasperated to-do from other fans about how it was "below" anything else Sebadoh had put out, that I became all the more attracted to it, and knew it was likely to be favored by my unconventional self.
Likewise I was correct. Anymore it seems like albums aren't worth taking a chance with, but this little treasure clearly defied that weary statement. Putting the collective opinions aside, and focusing on the pinnacle of the music, the tragically restless crooning of Lou and glimmering guitar strums magnifies, the catchiness prevails and Jason sanctifies his frustrated cries.
"Prince-S" conveys amusingly honest lyrics, but the music that supports it is an intangibly firm ballad of the lonely, cool quality that is indie rock. My personal favorite on the album :)
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by Sebadoh 
