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Harrison Bergeron

Harrison Bergeron (2005)
self-released

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Anchors
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on March 7th 2006

"Dude, You Have No Idea How Bad I Want to Work Out Right Now."

That right there will pretty much tell you how the rest of this record is going to sound. Harrison Bergeron are proponents of such things as dead horse beating, trend-riding, and style aping. These exorbitantly long song titles were funny about 8 years ago when As the Sun Sets did it, but it’s not funny anymore. It’s not clever, it’s not cute, but at very least it told me right away what kind of music the band would be playing.

You see, Harrison Bergeron want very badly to be Thrice. The fundamental roadblock in the way of them actually being Thrice, is that Thrice is an extremely, extremely talented band. As you probably guessed I’m inferring, Harrison Bergeron are not an extremely talented band. They’re simply mediocre, and for the kind of style being played, mediocre isn’t going to cut it anymore; there has to be some strong redeeming value, something that makes a band stick out amongst all their contemporaries. And therein lies the problem. This is a five-piece who really lack a strong songwriting vision. Individually though, the members the band is comprised of aren’t too bad.

Singer James Tanner has a nice raspy scream, and sounds eerily like Dustin Krensue while singing, and guitarists Devon Bryant and James Germain play some great stuff early on in the record; “I Don’t Think I’m Going to Do Hamster Style Anymore” would actually fit perfectly onto The Illusion of Safety with its catchy chorus and driving rhythms, but more and more as the album progresses, the songwriting style wears thinner and thinner, and the songs just blend together more and more. And it’s hard to say what’s keeping this album from being a decent one, it’s just so unmemorable that you’re liable to forget what you heard only ten minutes ago. The heavy parts are pulled off well, the tunings solid and the intensity there, they just have trouble really finding that groove that they need.

The sing/scream dynamic is one that’s so hard to pull off well, and these guys, despite small showings of potential, don’t yet have the chops to write a cohesive and memorable full-length.

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usversusthem (March 13, 2006)

Score is for someone naming a band after the guy who founded dadaism.

SilentStorms (March 9, 2006)

Rather, he plays chess with his sons' lives. Oops. Yeah, also if you like Buried Inside check out Back When 's 7inch Swords Against the Father. Best EP ever.

SilentStorms (March 9, 2006)

I'm pretty sure Yage is still a band. If you want to see them live get the Mara'akate DVD cuz they play some live shit on that ... amazing. Also, check out June Paik, Daitro, and Mihai Edrisch. They also own. Oh, and Llynch. Oh and two other amazing Vonnegut shorts are Thomas Edison's Shaggy Dog and All the Kings Knights. He's play chess with his sons' lives!!! Amazing. But I still think Cat's Cradle is his best shit. I heard they were making a movie from that too. Hope it doesn't suck.

Anonymous (March 9, 2006)

didnt yage break up also?

md40_07 (March 9, 2006)

i'm with the guy that posted below me. Good story i read in sophomore english last year.

Anonymous (March 9, 2006)

score is for the short story, harrison bergeron. had to read it for english class, not bad stuff.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (March 8, 2006)

Yeah, i know, the split seems to have gone under some people radars though.

However, i actually feel quite lucky to have seen all of those bands on the list.

Anchors (March 8, 2006)

I know Raien split up, it sucks, but I did not know Tristan Tzara broke up, that's a bummer.

I haven't reviewed the latter yet because I still want to do La Quiete first, but I will get to them.

Scruffy (March 8, 2006)

There's a local band from my area called Von Cosel that's influenced by nineties screamo stuff. They're really good live.

sirens (March 8, 2006)

Tristan Tzara broke up a while back too,

i think he was just pointing out good scream bands from across the pond

Anchors... why no Tristan Tzara review?

givemeamuseumandillfillit (March 8, 2006)

Anchors...in case you didn't know, raein split up in december.

Archangel (March 7, 2006)

Thanks for the recommendations!

rkl (March 7, 2006)

Harrison Bergeron - Harrison Bergeron
Posted by inagreendase on 2006-03-07 11:42:23

Anyone ever see the Showtime adaptation of "Harrison Bergernon?" Is it worth getting a hold of, if even possible?

it stars one of the brandis brothers, too lazy to look up which.
okay, i guess, but not that grand of a movie. considering the shortness of the original story, the producers had to add a lot of filler to make a movie out of it, and the filler kind of sucks .

Anonymous (March 7, 2006)

"isnt harrison bergeron like a thrashcore/hc band from russia? or am i thinking of someone else?"

You are thinking of George Harrison (Ru). Who fucking rule.

boogieburgs (March 7, 2006)

there's another band called harrison bergeron and they're fucking rad, it's screamo shit. yo anchors, i think you'd be into it. if you've still got my screen name, IM me and i'll send it to you. score is for the other band.

inagreendase (March 7, 2006)

Anyone ever see the Showtime adaptation of "Harrison Bergernon?" Is it worth getting a hold of, if even possible?

capitalist_pig (March 7, 2006)

I think you were actually implying they play shitty music. Inferring is what the reader would be doing with your implication.

Anyway, Vonnegut should break out some ninja moves and tear these guys to shreds. No one fights quite as hard as a jaded old man.

Jesse (March 7, 2006)

"Common misconception, but Vonnegut actually named the story after the Snapcase song."

BWAHAHAHAH!

Anchors (March 7, 2006)

Archangel, your best bet right now with screamo is the European scene. They're really flourishing over there right now with that type of music. Some bands to check out;

La Quiete
Raien
Louise Cypher
Amanda Woodward
Daitro
Sed Non Satiata
Yage
Tristan Tzara

Anonymous (March 7, 2006)

Name me one Thrice song that has a song title longer than six words.

Thought not.

Anonymous (March 7, 2006)

isnt harrison bergeron like a thrashcore/hc band from russia? or am i thinking of someone else?

rkl (March 7, 2006)

scores for me rereading welcome to the monkey house atm on my lunch breaks from work.
which its time to go to.

Anonymous (March 7, 2006)

score's for someone making you wear sheet metal bc you're too badass not to.

Archangel (March 7, 2006)

Unrelated to this CD, maybe, but I thought I'd ask here anyway.

Anchors-- are there any good *active* screamo bands with a sound similar to late 90's screamo? All of my favorite bands of the genre broke up a few years ago. Since you're more involved in getting new music than I am, and you seem to know your history, maybe you can help me out.

Anonymous (March 7, 2006)

way i heard it, Vonnegut actually wrote the snapcase song during his 'hardcore' years teaching at the writers workshop in iowa city.

wyzo

Archangel (March 7, 2006)

Oh good, another reason to hate Colorado.

Anonymous (March 7, 2006)

Common misconception, but Vonnegut actually named the story after the Snapcase song.

Anchors (March 7, 2006)

I've been on a real big Snapcase kick this week. That band fucking owned.

druhol (March 7, 2006)

Score is for Vonnegut.

ElVaquero (March 7, 2006)

Score is for anyone who thinks this band is referencing Snapcase

Anonymous (March 7, 2006)

the score is for the snapcase song harrison bergeron. if you dont know, it was on progression through unlearning, one of the best hardcore albums on the late 90's.