Ed Harcourt - Here Be Monsters

  by Benjamin Howarth

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

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Review

'Here Be Monsters' is the follow up to Ed Harcourt’s debut mini-album 'Maplewood', and has won acclaim seemingly everywhere, leading to a nomination for the Mercury music prize. It features new versions of two songs from 'Maplewood' (‘Hanging With The Wrong Crowd’ and ‘Apple of My Eye’), and has contributions from Dave Fridmann, producer of The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev and Mogwai. It has received a healthy reaction from the music press, so you won’t be able to champion him as a personal discovery but it is a very good album. In an era when a lot of albums from singer-songwriters are often one-paced and cover only one musical style, Harcourt’s debut is varied and has been able to my attention right until the end. 'Here Be Monsters' begins with the acoustic strum of ‘Something In My Eye’ which backed with a xylophone, inevitably, reminds you of Radiohead’s ‘No Surprises’. This is a brilliant song that grows into a full-band number backed with strings. Harcourt’s vocals on this track are more reminiscent of an American alt-country vocalist then any of the numerous singer songwriters springing up in Britain. Whilst this opener was slow and melancholic it leads into an uptempo pop song ‘God Protect Your Soul’. One of the weakest on the record it is still enjoyable, but could probably have done with being a minute or so shorter. Track 3, ‘She Fell Into My Arms’, though, could be my favourite song. Predominately played on piano, but also featuring horns. it is witty and catchy. It is the best example on 'Here Be Monsters' of Harcourt’s flair for writing genuinely memorable songs . ‘These Crimson Tears’ is back in the melancholic field, and relies on a moving string accompaniment. Harcourt is gradually showing just how diverse his songwriting really is. Then the two songs from ‘Maplewood’ follow. I’ve not heard his debut so can’t comment on whether he has made any significant adjustments. Both are catchy but the lyrics are sometimes less impressive (“Dad owns a bank and is known by the name of Hank” for example). The next song is the album’s only genuinely weak track, ‘Beneath The Heart of Darkness’, which is a strong song ruined by the decision to have two minutes of guitar feedback in its middle. In terms of atmospherics it is important, but at the same time it is unlistenable. The rest of the album is excellent, with ‘Birds Fly Backwards’ also being another possible contender as the strongest track. To conclude then, don’t be put off by that Mercury nomination. Harcourt’s debut record is one that never fails to surprise. Over 52 minutes he tackles a wide variety of musical styles, all with skill, and sings brilliantly. Many singer songwriters are around in Britain at the moment, but Harcourt is more in tune with the likes of Elliott Smith, Mercury Rev and Rufus Wainwright – especially since piano, not guitar, is his main instrument. ‘Here Be Monsters’ is not quite perfect, but still a contender for ‘Album Of The Year’ – (we’re over halfway through the year now, so can start to think about such things!). By most bands standards this would be astonishing but I sense, with the power of some of these songs and Harcourt’s vocals, that we can expect more from him. Where most groups are happy to be pigeonholed and produce albums solely to appease their established fanbase, Harcourt has dared to have ambition and it has paid off. He deserves to be successful, and I hope he is.

Track Listing:-

1 Something in my eye
2 God protect your soul
3 She fell into my arms
4 Those crimson tears
5 Hanging with the wrong crowd
6 Apple of my eye
7 Beneath the heart of darkness
8 Wind through the trees
9 Birds fly backwards
10 Shanghai
11 Like only lovers can

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