Search - Harem Scarem :: Voice of Reason

Voice Of Experimentation

Sampson Simpson | Canada | 08/12/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Voice Of Reason marked the end of an era for Harem Scarem. It's the last album by the original lineup before Mike Gionet departed, and the band got huge overseas. On this, the Japanese import version of their third full-length CD, you get one bonus track: Candle, an acoustic version. So far it hasn't turned up on any compilations that I'm aware of, and it's actually superior to the regular album version. Very cool bonus track.What about the rest of the album? Harem Scarem took their progression shown on Mood Swings and took it up a notch. More vocal harmonies, more guitar layers and flourishes, more complex song structures. In fact I've always felt that Voice Of Reason was a step closer to Queen. That's a good thing. I've also found it quite similar to some of the music that Extreme was doing on their III Sides album.That's the good news. The bad news is that it's really not as memorable as anything those two bands have done, or even Harem Scarem's own past work. The songs are all decent, but very few rise above or stand out. The title track, Warming A Frozen Rose (best song), Blue, and I'll Be Brief among others really stand out. But, comparing that to a past record like Mood Swings where virtually every track was a winner, Voice Of Reason falls slightly short of the mark."

Gloomier But Beautiful

susumu-5 | Japan | 05/10/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Canadian AOR master's third album in 1995 shows their modern rock approach. It became a bit gloomier than "Mood Swings" unmistakable AOR masterpiece in 1993. So much so but it is excellently done as you can find in "Breathing Sand","Blue". If you like modern alternative rock such as REM, Lifehouse and Goo Goo Dolls this album may be a good starting point. If you are a classic 80's hits appreciator, I strongly recommend their 1st, 2nd(Mood Swings) or the latest"Weight Of The World"."