Album Review: The Harriets "Hopefuls"

Leeds has long since been regarded as a hotbed of musical talent. Kaiser Chiefs, Alt-J, Pigeon Detectives...

You want up the stairs? You gotta go through us, pal! The Harriets - photo by Iona Skye

Step forward The Harriets.

They are a four piece alternative pop/rock band, fronted by Daniel Parker-Smith and Ben Schrodel, who are also joined by Jess Womack and Ryan Bailey. None of the band are called Harriet, which is a revelation that some might be disappointed by.

The Harriets have just released their first full album Hopefuls... and it's a real treat!

Hopefuls is a veritable cornucopia of musical treats. Every song has a real, wholesome topic and the stories are told with a real passion and you are left with no doubt what the story is trying to say.

There are a few things that you'll notice straight away when you listen to this album. Guitars are a massive part of the band. They are prominent but not overpowering. You'll not find any in-your-face riffs, no heavy chords but plenty of clever "ooh, that was a nice touch" moments.

The songs take you for a ride, from start to finish, nothing is predictable and every track stands out as unique and brilliant. But the stand out feature of the band has got to be the vocals. Two and three part harmonies spring from all angles and I found myself several times asking "how the heck did they get that to work?" For me, the vocals are what make the songs really punch and whilst they may not be to everyones liking, I personally found the dynamic works really well and I genuinely enjoyed this album.

Have a listen to Hopefuls - then listen to it again and you'll hear something different each time you listen!

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