Shaun Harris: Shaun Harris (Rev-Ola, 2005)

This is not a new album and it isn’t even a new reissue, but I love this so much that I need to praise it a bit. Why should there be a law against reviewing older releases. And well this is my blog so I can make the rules.

Shaun Harris is probably much better known as a member of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, but he also did one solo album for Capitol Records. This beautiful album came out on the same day as Dark Side Of The Moon back in 1973 and unfortunately Capitol Records focused on Dark Side Of The Moon and the promotion of Shaun Harris album was non-existant. Well it probably wouldn’t have made a huge difference, even though it feels oh so cruel that such a beautiful soft pop album went unnoticed at the time. This is just great orchestrated pop music and I kind of like the contrast with the lyrics and the music.  The music is beautiful and soft (albeit melancholic), but the lyrics get really depressing at times and seem to be more suited for a country artist who has swallowed a bottle of self pity. Sometimes it feels like the character in the songs would beat me in the imaginary “Who has the lowest self esteem” competition and that’s one of the very few competitions where I would be a really tough opposition. However, because the music is beautiful orchestrated pop music it doesn’t get too depressing and instead I’m just trying to figure out should I be happy or sad while listening to it. Soon I will give up and just enjoy listening to wonderful songs like Empty Without You, Color Of Your Eyes and Canadian Ships.