Harem Scarem
Harem Scarem

THE REVIEW

First of all, let's clarify one thing: my Nickname refers precisely to the wild passion I had and still have for these 4 Canadians, certainly not to the fact that I am full of women!

So, jokes aside, let's begin this long adventure in describing the beauty of their songs, but also their less successful works (fortunately few!) during their two-decade career, starting with the debut album, the self-titled "Harem Scarem" of 1991.

Originally from Ontario, Canada, the 4 Canadians who would form this band are: Harry Hess (Vocals), Pete Lesperance (Guitar), Mike Gionet (Bass), and Darren Smith (Drums). If one were to see their faces, they probably wouldn't give them a cent even if they paid us: indeed, Harem Scarem in Italy is known precisely by 4 dogs and let's add 4 cats, but this, fortunately for us, is not a flaw, rather sometimes it is a great advantage, especially because we have the privilege of saying "You don't know what you're missing!"

Exactly: what have you missed? First of all, this debut album of theirs dated 1991, in full grunge explosion (I have nothing against this genre, but it has buried too many REAL bands). The genre proposed is a melodic hard rock of class with a capital C that can't get any more capital than this! Oh yes, because even in Canada they know how to make hard rock with guts! So let's begin with the track-by-track.

It starts with the sunny "Hard To Love" where the intentions are already clear: great melodies embellished by a great guitarist like Pete Lesperance, (among his influences is the great Nuno Bettencourt from the now exhausted Extreme) and immense keyboard textures, but especially a cappella choirs that would even make the nuns of Sister Act envious! It then proceeds with "Distant Memory", a more subdued song, beautiful yes, but ultimately quite common to the AOR/Hard rock standards. Definitely better with "With A Little Love", a stunning song, immense with a beautiful solo by the great Pete and with a great performance by Harry Hess. Truly e-x-e-m-p-l-a-r-y! But the masterpieces do not take long to come: "Honestly" is a grand ballad, introduced and continued on the piano by Harry Hess with exceptional choirs also enriched by the contribution on the skins by Darren Smith and the bass of Mike Gionet. It continues with "Love Reaction" introduced once again by pulsating keyboards and the bass line of Gionet, but always carried forward with great class through the precise rhythm section.

We reach the mid-point of the album where we encounter the beautiful "Slowly Slipping Away" where it's all a succession of beautiful arpeggios by Lesperance and fantastic choirs: another masterpiece of the album! Following is "All Over Again" and once again class prevails, between breaks that leave space for the sublime voice of Harry Hess, the always graceful drive of Lesperance's guitar and the beautiful choral finale. Another round another spin: here comes "Don't Give Your Heart Away", indebted to the greatest of AOR especially to Neal Schon's Journey (which speaks volumes!). A great album closes with "How Long", a song that nevertheless follows the standard canons of the genre and "Something To Say" which contains a magnificent atmospheric intro and a great acoustic performance by Lesperance and a wonderful interpretation by Hess.

What can we say in the end? That it's a little masterpiece! Harem Scarem will only surpass themselves with the subsequent Mood Swings of 1993 (obviously an album that will be considered only by a few chosen ones!), an album however substantially different and with which they will compare themselves throughout their career, in addition to the aforementioned debut album. However, in reality, Harem Scarem will release other little masterpieces, which only a few consider as such but this, fortunately for us, is another story that Harem Scarem has been able to tell excellently.