King James Version

Harvey Danger

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2000)
• Original Release Date: September 12, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire / London/Rhino
• ASIN: B00004X0PT
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,277 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
With Harvey Danger's overdue sophomore album, singer Sean Nelson challenges his literary hero's dictum that "there are no second acts in American lives." The continued viability of his band is gloriously affirmed on King James Version's rousing opener, whose chorus, "Show me the hero, and I'll write you a tragedy," is another line from F. Scott Fitzgerald. After that, the album's energy, which is mostly sustained throughout, keeps to an even, graceful cadence until the rock payoff of the first single, "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo." The only miss here is the strings-infested "Pike St./Park Slope," a ponderous track that mars the otherwise fluid album. But the band then generously compensates with the twin stars of "Loyalty Building," a mellifluous and loping treasure, and "Underground," a gloomy and seductive interpretation of a This Busy Monster song.

The last track--and the album as a whole--is richly canorous. The addition of instruments such as banjo and vibraphone to their standard rock lineup manages to uplift rather than weigh down the mix. Any hints of discord here are saved for the lyrics. In the first verse of the first song, Nelson's already in trouble. The food's great at a lovely brunch with Jesus Christ, "but then he had to go and die for my sins and stick my ass with the check." On other (subtler) songs, music geeks will like the ambivalence and ambiguity of Nelson's freighted lyrics. But they may not appreciate the band's distance from many of their alt-rock contemporaries, who have been experimenting with both the aggro and maudlin borders of the genre. Instead, King James Version, whose mid-tempo flow should create a perfect confluence with the mainstream, speaks the populist language of classic rock & roll--the kind of music you could listen to in the car with your mom. And it's a delight. Amen. --Julie van Arcken

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Why has everyone forgot about this incredible band?, December 15, 2004

By	Duotonex (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

I was as floored as anyone once I gave "Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?" a listen past "Flagpole Sitta." When your only popular single can easily be among the worst songs on your debut, the public as a whole seems to be missing out. "King James Version" hasn't even got that much respect. Nelson's lyrics come out as strong as ever in one of the best rock albums released that year, and if any band deserves more recognition its Harvey Danger. Unfortunately, this has to go in to that infamous category "Best Band You've Never Heard."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT SOPHOMORE ALBUM!!!, September 30, 2000

By	Josh Jones (Carrollton, GA) - See all my reviews

Let me just start out with a short tribute to Harvey Danger. I bought the 1st CD for the song "Flagpole Sitta" and realized that there was much more to this band. It was more than a one hit wonder. Much to my dissapointment, there wasn't another hit off of that CD. Then I heard the news that they were working on a new CD. I was overjoyed! And here it is... KING JAMES VERSION! I think this CD has the same potential as the 1st one...and then some! When I 1st put this into my CD player, I went straight to track 4 (Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo). I love this song. It has everything I loved from the 1st album all combined into one great hit. After I listened to that a couple of times, I started from the beginning of the disc... When I hear a song for the 1st time, I listen for the music and for the beat. Then I listen again for the lyrics. Then I listen a 3rd time to put it all together as a whole. By the time I was halfway through my 2nd round with KING JAMES VERSION, I knew that this was the Harvey Danger I'd been waiting for! It has everything from fast-paced rock songs to slow-meaningful ballads. Harvey Danger shows the listener that they are still the same Harvey Danger from the 1st CD, and then they show you that they aren't afraid to go where only few bands go and try new things. I love every song on the CD, but I do have my favorites: Meetings with Remarkable Men (Show me the Hero), Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo, You Miss the Point Completely I Get the Point Exactly, (Theme from)Carjack Fever, Pike St./Park Slope, Underground, and The Same as Being in Love. If you liked Harvey Danger's 1st CD, then don't think twice about buying this one...and if you are a 1st time listener wondering if you should give them a chance, then go buy the CD...you'll be glad you did!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A step up from what I expected!, September 13, 2000

By	Jarrett Samson (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

After hearing Harvey Danger's debut album, Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?, I became an immediate fan. Heading into this album, though, I had admitted to myself the brooding feeling that maybe they were a group that wouldn't be able to ever once again create such a great whole work, or if they did, just pump out albums that could be interchanged in your cd player with others of theirs at will with little to no notice of the changeover. However, with King James Version, they've proven me, and all the critics heralding them as one hit wonders, wrong. King James Version takes everything a step up from what Merrymakers was, with the band attempting much more dynamic songs and styles. From the catchy first single Sad Sweetheart Of The Rodeo to the more subdued, stunning chords of Underground and Loyalty Bldg., Harvey Danger prove they're a band that should definitely escape the label of oneders. The album shows just what a band can do to both keep the parts of their style from who they formerly are, and also mix in some new to create great music. The only small downside to the cd is the occasional lyric by lead vocalist Sean Nelson which may make you cringe ("I have a stinger, I am a honeybee..." Nelson sings on Authenticity, the album's most infecteous track), but he too escapes these, at times crafting some of the best lyrics in modern-day alt rock. The songs are quite different than most out there in that each and every one flowing seems to contain a single small story with a beginning middle and end, conveying the point well and not just pining about love for 3 1/2 minutes. King James Version has the feel of a concept album, yet with none of the pretentiousness and stupidity that often consumes them (See: Styx), and that in itself is amazing. Overall, King James Version is a blueprint of how to do a followup right, and well worth your money and time.