Audio CD review:
Harem Scarem - Weight of the World

Harem Scarem - Weight of the World

Band: Harem Scarem Title: Weight of the World Rating: Release Date: 01 July, 2002 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Weight of the World 2: Killing Me 3: Outside Your Window 4: All I Want 5: This Ain't Over 6: Internude 7: You Ruined Everything 8: Charmed Life 9: If You 10: See Saw 11: Voice Inside 12: End of Time [*]

Customer Reviews Not their second album at all... Truth is, Weight of the World is more a return to the form of their second CD "Moodswings" (from 1993) after a stint under the name of Rubber (and a more power pop sound). A recent review of this Harem Scarem CD gave me the impression that the person reviewing it (and shame on them for being Canadian and not knowing more about one of their own bands)thought they only had TWO CDs out. Harem Scarem has always delivered very well crafted melodic hard rock over the years, thought not one of their albums could be considered a rider on its predecessor's coattails. Their singer Harold Hess (not Howard as the other reviewer stated) continues to possess some of the most amazing vocal chords in rock & roll. There is plenty to enjoy about Weight of the World for the Harem Scarem fan and anyone else interested in finding out just how GOOD this band is (ironically enough, the Canadian release of Weight still bears the Rubber name for whatever reason). . . get the first CD, "Mood Swings" and one or more of their live CDs. . . then get this one. . . they're as good as ever on this CD. . . then check out their latest release "Higher". . . you won't be disappointed. Not really all that great The title track is the perfect blend of a great hook with a modern sound, but when Harem Scarem sounds modern, they sound like the Goo Goo Dolls, and that really isn't a good thing, because that band also suffers from one or two good songs and then its complete filler. This album has some good hooks, and it builds upon their debut witth heavier rhythms and drumming, but it lacks a lot of the instant catchy-ness of thier debut album and that is too bad. This CD has much of the same. But the title track rocks hard and heavy and is the main reason that I own this album. Other notable tracks are "You Ruined Everything", at the mid-point of the song you hear a very haunting 'Youuuuuuuuuuu' repeated a couple of times for effect, and it is very cool, makes the song better than it actually is. "All I Want" could have been a single but like quite a few songs from this album, the bridge is better than the chorus, the chrous is kind of a let down, the most notable example of this idea is "Charmed Life" When vocalist Howard Hess says the words 'charmed life' the song just falls flat. This is not a knock on Hess who is a good vocalist. He just doesn't seem to be putting the amount of energy that he should in this song and a few others too. Only found on this Japanese import is another great song, "End Of Time" a ballad for the most part, this should really have replaced a song or been added to the domestic release, and that is someone's oversight/flaw as well. The title track remains as one of the best in thier catalogue, it may even be better than anything from the debut as well. . it is a damn good song that should have inspired more like it throughout the rest of the CD. It didn't. 4/11. . You can see a complete list of all Harem Scarem discography, or go back to the Harem Scarem tabs