Harem Scarem - Rubber

1. It's Gotta Be
2. Who-Buddy
3. Coming Soon
4. Stuck With You
5. Sunshine
6. Face It
7. Trip
8. Pool Party
9. Headache
10. Somebody Else
11. Enemy (bonus track)
     

Album Cover:

Total Playing Time: 43:34  m:s

Review date: 12/01/2000

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Harem Scarem have modified their style for every album to date and Rubber is no exception. Rubber sees the band playing power pop. Whereas their last album still had a rock feel to it, Rubber edges the band into the land of pop. They've kept the great vocals and harmonies which makes this instantly recognizable as a Harem Scarem record. The biggest disappointment is that Pete Lesperance's guitars take a real back seat.

When it comes to thinking of comparisons, well I'm struggling because simply don't listen to much power pop. Elsewhere I've seen the Foo Fighters and Marvellous 3 used as comparisons.

"It's Gotta Be" is an uptempo power pop tune that sounds pretty uninspiring at the start, but does get better by the time the chorus arrives. On the next couple of tracks (my favorites), "Who-Buddy" and "Coming Soon", I actually hear a little bit of country creeping into the formula and I'm reminded of the Jayhawks or someone like that. On "Coming Soon", and later on "Sunshine", Del Amitri's brand of rock-influenced guitar pop also springs to mind. "Stuck With You" & "Face It" increase the pace and feature some of those great HS vocals. On "Trip" there is a real Cheap Trick vibe going on and this track is the one with the most obvious rock feel to it. My reaction to the first two thirds of the album is positive, but end of the album sees my attention fading. "Pool Party" is the low point of the album for me. Very average power pop with a few tempo changes thrown in. I was channel hopping on the TV the other night and came across a program about UK new wave/punk band The Jam. Listening to "Headache" I can hear a few similarities. There seems to be a Ska-type rhythm going on in the background. If the Jam were still going today, then Paul Weller & Co. might be churning out stuff like this. On the acoustic guitar ballad, "Something Else", a boom/echo on the drums detracts from the song. The final track, "Enemy", is described on the cover as a bonus track and features what by this stage I'll describe as anonymous power pop.

Harem Scarem have been hedging their bets between the worlds of rock and pop with the past couple of releases. With the name change and the release of this album it looks like they've jumped off the fence and planted their feet firmly in the world of pop. This style of power pop isn't something that I've investigated too much. However, by following Harem Scarem/Rubber, I've ended up listening to something different. If a new band called Rubber, that I knew nothing about, came on the scene playing this type of music, I don't think I'd have paid much attention.

This band called Rubber have created a good album of power pop and to be honest with anything I'd call 'pop' I'm happy if I like most of the tracks for a couple of months (maybe even a few weeks). Whenever I get bored I can always move onto something else. On this level HS/Rubber have succeeded. However, it is impossible not to think of the earlier albums. Voice Of Reason, for example, which I'll admit I hated when I first heard it, took me about 3 years to get into. It is one of those albums you can revisit a multitude of times and still find something new each time. I don't think I'll be doing the same with Rubber.

Even with a 'bonus' track this only clocks in at 43 min, so I guess that means that a few new tracks have been held back for whatever HS compilation the record company can think of next and for the Canadian/European release of the album which is bound to have a different track listing to this. With all this talk of Rip-off Britain in the press, makes me think music fans should have their own expression - "Rip-off Harem Scarem".