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Harlem Shakes
Technicolor Health
Gigantic Music
released March 30th
[81]
[Rating Scale]
[rating:81/100]
When the Afro-Pop guitar chords, rickety drums, and wavering vocals fill your headphones at the start of Technicolor Health, you can’t help but to feel a bit wary of the Harlem Shakes. You can’t help but to wonder if the hype was undeserved, if this is a Vampire Weekend or Born Ruffians knock-off band, if you’ve heard this all before. Fortunately, you can’t help but to be wrong.
Because pretty soon, the horns kick in, the falsetto kicks in, and the distinct sound of the Harlem Shakes takes over.
Technicolor Health kicks off with three stellar tracks, begging “In The Flowers/My Girls/Also Frightened” and “Make Light/Little Secrets/Moth’s Wings” to make room for a new kick-ass 1-2-3 punch. Opener “Nothing But Change Part II” contains the aforementioned horns and pep, a perfect introduction to the sound of the Shakes. Lead singer Lexy Benaim’s vocals are immediately brought to your attention; he has some warbling, frenetic, but powerful pipes. Track number two is the internet favorite, “Strictly Game,” with the simple-but-clever lyrics that the Shakes so frequently utilize on full display: “This will be a better year, this will be a better year, make a little money, take a lot of shit, feel real bad, then get over it.” And that (slightly) optimistic refrain is followed by the more upbeat “TFO,” one of my personal faves on the album. From the recurring “oo-oos” to the sheer, unexpected passion in Benaim’s voice, “TFO” is a phenomenal song that only gets better with repeated listens.
Throughout these brilliant three opening tracks, the Harlem Shakes show off their immense versatility. “Strictly Game” is a downer, but one that conveys the sense of optimism. “Nothing But Change” is simple and catchy, but also epic and layered. And “TFO” has all the aforementioned features blended together.
This versatility continues to show throughout Technicolor Health, an album that seems from it’s coming from a band at the top of its game, when in reality it’s a fantastic debut full-length for a band that will only get better. Blending that phenomenal mix of optimism and melancholy, it features straightforward pop songs that can stand alone remarkably well, but also flow into the greater whole of the album. “Sunlight” bops forward with clanging drums and breathless energy. More clever lyrics are abound: “I had a coat of many colors, sold it off online.”
Technicolor Health’s true triumph is its ability to project the sunny, power-pop feel throughout without getting repetitive. Being only ten songs short is a big help in accomplishing this feat. Also a help- the nicer ballads that help round out the band’s sound. “Unhurried Hearts” and “Niagara Falls” both show off the lighter side of the Shakes, one with absolutely gorgeous “ohs” and “ahs” and the other with catchy piano melodies
Since the Shakes can truly rock out, however, the more upbeat the tracks, the better. “Winter Water” is the standout, an eclectic example of Cold War Kids rawness and soul. “Radio Orlando” is more low-key (although it’s fuzzed-out horns opening wouldn’t suggest that), but still a layered, beautiful track with group harmonies out of Grizzly Bear’s playbook. Once the upbeat instrumentals give way to the vocals by themselves, it’s tailor-made for a Scrubs episode-ending montage.
Health is not a flawless record- two of the last three songs (”Natural Man” and the titular, closing track) are fine, but lacking the effortless bounciness of the other tracks. But a debut full-length is not expected to be perfect- we should just be happy the Shakes got this close.
This review is one that comes pretty late- Technicolor Health was released way back in March. But it’s almost fitting to give it this deserved praise on this, the first week of June. With their sunny guitar chords, mix of melancholy and optimism, and ridiculously catchy hooks, the Harlem Shakes may have crafted the soundtrack to your summer.
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Tags: Favorite New Albums, Harlem Shakes
Pretty much a contender for album of the year. Great mix of sounds and probably put on a great show.
I would love to have it on vinyl to hear the better acoustics.
I saw these guys back in March at Webster Hall and I thought it was great. Couldn’t find a nicer bunch of guys just having fun playing on stage. The new album is very good. I was glad to hear all the new stuff then. Bonus, they’re coming into my home town next Saturday with Passion Pit!
Their live set was really fun at SXSW’s Red Eyed Fly party. They’re a young band with a lot of potential. The tracks here at least showed that the subtle breaks in convention each slightly derivative song offers give the Harlem Shakes a unique sound. They did a good job of mixing the elements in studio (it was muddier live), and I’m excited to hear how the whole album sounds on vinyl. Hopefully, it’s the perfect seasonal release.
More horns!
This is my favorite album this year so far, followed only by Passion Pit’s Manners and amazingly, by some act of God, they are on tour together (by some other act of God, there are no Florida tour dates).
After seeing Pitchfork decimate this album, I had lost hope in the music reviewing community. For some reason these guys get a bad rep due to their “privileged” status. So what! They make excellent music. Apparently making upbeat, catchy songs is a sin these days.
I saw the Shakes here in Orlando when they were touring with Vampire Weekend, promoting Burning Birthdays, and again with Tokyo Police Club. Both times they were amazing.
During the show with Vampire Weekend, the bassist for The Shakes accidentally kicked the drum he was playing into the crowd and just continued on, as if nothing happened.
In the show with Tokyo Police Club, the Shakes called up both Tokyo Police Club and Ruby Coast (the other opener) to the stage to join in a song. Before long there were upwards of 20+ people on the stage playing any instrument they could find. What was awesome about this is that Tokyo Police club were the headliner and had not even played yet!
Harlem Shakes are also pretty chill guys too. At the show with Tokyo Police Club, they hung out in the crowd the entire time socializing and also ran their own merch booth.
As I stated earlier, I love this album. It was murder waiting for this thing to come out after hearing bits an pieces before it’s release. My personal favorite track is “Radio Orlando”. It holds a certain place in my heart, being from the aforementioned city and all.
“TFO” was a shockingly familiar track, as they played this long before release when they opened for Vampire Weekend. I recount hearing this track and instantly being oddly addicted to the vocal patterns. There’s something weirdly unnatural and other-worldly about it. It would be a long year until I finally heard this song again.
“Strictly Game” is just an all around strong track that just keeps delivering the entire way through. It’s upbeat tempo makes it hard to not to find yourself nodding along to it.
All-in-all, I think this is really a superb album. I really hope we see Technicolor Health on some End-of-Year wrap up lists, so that the Shakes finally get the attention they deserve. The album remains one of the favorite “keep-on-loop” records in my collection. I’ve never written one of these things, but felt compelled to do so this time. Thanks for giving them a fair chance.
wow this is good, not really what I was expecting! definitely up there with manners, and veckatimest.
Great review. Sunlight has been on repeat in my car since the weather got warm here. Would LOVE to see them live!
Finally I know what to call the genre I like. Usually i would say anything that isn’t taken over by the radio but “afro-pop” is much better. Now to the tracks. Great beats,makes me want to paint a picture or have a picnic. [if that makes sense] Would really like to hear more of the album to capture that distinct sound you mention. “Niagra Falls” is the sway your head, tap you foot kind of song that i need right now. Great music from what i hear!!
Based on what I’d heard, I expected this band to be a Vampire Weekend knockoff. Luckily, they are so much better than that. This is shaping up to be the album of the summer!
Just wanted to say thanks for the Dragonette mp3
I would have to definitely say that I’m glad you posted these. I had written the band off after reading reviews before, but I’m definitely giving them a nice chance now. Ironically, the same thing happened to me with Vampire Weekend. But the Harlem Shakes definitely hold their own and the comparison isn’t quite fair.
it’s definitely more refreshing than the norm. I love the instrumentation and catchy choruses. Looking forward to hearing the whole album!