Hippies [Music CD]
I have a friend who lives in Austin, TX who is constantly making me jealous. She likes to mention, with a trace of blasé, that she’s just seen some amazing rock, soul, blues, country or hip-hop artist perform just down the street from her house. Earlier this year, she recommended the Austin group Harlem (she had seen them perform live down the street!) and after listening to some songs online, I was hooked. I ordered the lp right away and suggested ordering a copy for Forbes.
Harlem plays straight, unabashed garage rock without any pretension whatsoever. Catchy melodies and the spirit of rock n’ roll dominate their debut full-length recording. I’ve deduced that this ramshackle trio loves the following: reverb, switching instruments, collaborating on songs and getting down.
Living in the Valley, we may not have the luxury to walk to Harlem’s next show, but we can certainly enjoy this recording from our living room.