I’m feeling motivated tonight. I’m not going to question it or even try to figure out why I’m feeling so motivated tonight so let’s go ahead and jump right into Harvey Dormer’s EP, ‘Songs For Parties’.
This five-song EP starts with “I Have Been Better, I Have Been Worse” and, honestly, that title speaks to my soul. Although I got my air conditioner replaced so my house no longer feels like the tropics, things are still a little rough and I can’t seem to catch a break. Unlike the title may suggest, this song is far from a track I would put on at a party but that doesn’t mean it’s not amazing. Dark and emotive, I was instantly drawn into the world that is Harvey Dormer. This song grows in a super dramatic way that had me absolutely intrigued to see what the other four tracks will have in store for me.
“Spiders” continues with the darkness laid out in the opening track but expands on the emotion. There are more layers in this track from a sludgy bassline to an electrified guitar, right off the bat I didn’t know where this track was going but I knew I was strapped in and ready to go. Although this track stays pretty cool, calm, and collected throughout the four and a half minutes, it goes through movements. From the dark and ominous beginning to a more light-hearted yet emotionally charged chorus, I loved the movement in this second track and found myself completely captivated by Harvey Dormer’s vocals.
I was a bit surprised as this album instantly lightened up for “She Fights”. Instead of sludgy and fuzzy instrumentation, this track showcases an acoustic guitar as the vocals soar about it. This is a fairly simplistic and free feeling song while still coming with an undeniable amount of emotion. Although this track is a bit more acoustic and slow-moving than I tend to fall for, I found myself falling for every word of this track as they flew by. This was definitely a favorite of mine just due to the sensitive nature of the song and the pure beauty that comes with it.
“Habits” seems to split the difference between the first two tracks and “She Fights” perfectly. It’s a bit dark like the first two but has a bit more of a tender approach like “She Fights”. I really can not put the amount of power that Harvey Dormer has with each song into words. It’s absolutely staggering and made each track dynamic and captivating even though they are a bit slower than I tend to go and lack that punk or metal edge that I constantly find myself looking for.
Ending this EP is “The Weight That Breaks Your Back”. Another track that seems to mix all of elements laid on the previous songs, I felt like this track really ends ‘Songs For Parties’ on a powerful note while still being that distinct laid back and almost atmospheric sound that is Harvey Dormer. Although still fairly laidback as far as the beat goes, there’s something super powerful about this ending that almost comes off as triumphant leading to the perfect ending to a stunning piece of work.
My Favorite Track(s): “She Fights”
For Fans Of: Moodiness; Beauty; Subtle Power
Daydream-ability: 7 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie wandered around the kitchen looking for second dinner; Autumn slept upstairs
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 6.8 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 7.9 out of 10
Check Out Harvey Dormer Here:
Check out ‘Songs for Parties’ HERE!
Shameless Self Promotion- Donate Here To Keep This Blog Alive!
Check Out My New Playlist With All of My Favorite Songs HERE!
Leave a Reply