Daniel
G. Harmann
"the Lake Effect" CD
Post436
Records
Genres: indie rock, indie pop
Post436
12511 Ringwood Ave
Orlando FL 32837
Nov 15 - 21 2004 |
Daniel G. Harmann is a passionate, low-key bedroom artist with
a penchant for warm, infectious love songs. the
Lake Effect, Harmann's debut album, is at times reminiscent
of Red House Painters, Pedro The Lion, and Low.
Its sensitive side is really defined, with lush, heartbreaking
melodies and unfailingly romantic lyrics in droves; clearly, Harmann
isn't afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, but nothing here is
corny at all. While Harmann sometimes drifts into Low-esque
dreariness ("Fade In/Fade Out") and long-winded
instrumentalism ("Ghost of the New Harbor"), his mainstays
are Coldplay-style emotional rock ("Broken Will, Bleeding
Heart," "One Last Thing:") and articulate, well-defined
acoustic pop. "Location is Everything" and
"Nineteen Forty Five" rely on simple, guitar-led arrangements to accompany Harmann's
passionate voice, and the combination, though simple, is a successful
blend. Particularly memorable on this disc are
dramatic rocker "Cold, A Whole Minute" and sobering epic
"Sometimes I Forget My Name."
the Lake Effect is immediately endearing, and its songs seem
to get better over time. While Harmann's lyrical motives are
somewhat unidimensional, and his breathy, saddened vocals can become a
bit repetitive over time, an album like this can be enjoyed by anyone
unafraid of a bit of sincerely angsty emotion.
86%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
10 tracks, distributed by Redeye
Distribution, released 2004] |