It’s A Harsh World

Originality, this is Harsh Krieger. Harsh Krieger, this is originality. It appears you two have not yet met. Reigning from Nashville, home of the Blues, comes four rock stars groomed to achieve all-star status. With matching choppy shag do’s and a sound matching Crossfade and Switchfoot, it’s apparent that image is this band’s mantra, and top 40 is their ultimate destiny.The twelve songs off of their self-titled debut album offer one in the same. There is little differentiating tracks like “Sixteen O Three” from their college radio hit “Home” or any of the other tracks. The same lyrical voice lures throughout the album with different instrumentation; sometimes orchestral, often amped. The diction of Jake Harsh’s lyrics (oh yeah – they named their band with the surnames of the two founders, Jake Harsh and Jesse Krieger) is callow, whiny, and often incomprehensible.

You gotta give them props, though. With no major label, and college interns doing the street marketing for them, they’re doing pretty well. The recording quality is quite good, and they’ve already mastered thematic form. Tracks like “Luming” contain clips from other tracks. Either we’re in store for a future concept album, or Harsh Krieger has a select pool of sounds bound to be repeated.

Harsh Krieger’s Harsh Krieger is bound to stay on the college circuit for now. A majority of the songs on the album lack hooks or fun choruses, which hurts the album considering the image they appear to be striving for. As for the band, they have gut; and while this album is no glory, the next could make top 40.