The Still Beat has been reviewed in the August issue of SE Performer....

Harlan — The Still Beat
Engineered by Bill Kelley and John Norris
Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering in Boston, MA

Harlan, who recently returned to Baton Rouge after years in New York City, has a voice that recalls Wallinger (World Party) or Al Stewart ("Year of the Cat"). The musical styles on The Still Beat span about 35 years: "Ill-Matched Unknowns" has strong bass and lead guitar like a Badfinger track; "Days of Delirium" has the theatrical sounds of Queen and other '70s rock; "Two Pagans" brings back voice effects and keyboards from the '70s and '80s.

Other tracks are lush with sound effects and different moods, several containing so much variety that it's like recalling a series of loosely linked memories within a two-minute timeframe. "Late Summer," with its exotic stringwork, is a mysterious track that uses its sound effects particularly well while the narrator recalls a girl he knew, and "Foam Core" also tells a story of an unusual girl.

"It's a Mystery" is acoustic, but features some stringwork that weaves in and out of parts of the song like a freight train or tornado warning system. "Interviewer and Interviewee" has the classic pace of a road-traveling song.

Poppier tracks like "The Ballads of Selective Memory" and "Computer Games Under the Sun" have fresh blends of sound that are not easily described. "One Man Band" has acoustic and banjo simplicity, but is then joined by more hard rock and computerized sounds.

The lyrics tell unusual stories that all must be heard by ear, as they do not appear in the album insert. Unusual artwork graces the cover and jacket of the album — all of which are paintings done by Harlan, and seem to be portraits but without heads. Men's shirts have boxing gloves, spray nozzles and paper airplanes for heads.

Harlan's invited the listener to view his art and sound gallery. It promises to be different from anything you've heard lately and it is definitely worth checking out. (Odd Thud)

www.thestillbeat.com

-Kathleen Wehle