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NICK HARPER - SMITHEREENS:
REVIEWS BUZZ - SOUTH WALES' ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE June, 1999 Nick has bought in Glenn Tilbrook (SQUEEZE) to produce this album resulting in something new and exiting but still full of the haunting beauty you'd expect from this guitar genius and wizard of a songsmith. A must. TOTAL GUITAR MAGAZINE, Issue 48, October 1998 It's hard to believe that this is only Nick's second full-length album. It would take many singer-songwriters years to make a stylistic leap of the magnitude shown here. Okay, he's had the help of Glenn Tilbrook at the production helm, but even so the inclusion of indie-rock backing bands and jungle style samples is a long way from the meaningful meanderings of 1995's 'Seed'. But Nick's skill as a songwriter still shines through, from the sociopolitical cynicism of 'Magnificent G-Seven' to the laid-back relationship angst of 'Two Way Thing'. Guitar-wise, it's nice to hear his electric playing coming to the fore too. The Jerry Jones baritone guitar is not normally associated with big rock lead sounds, but Nick pulls it off. I've always said that every acoustic guitarist should get into Nick Harper, and now electric players have got no excuse either. Joe Bennett The HERALD - 16 May 1998 Were success earned purely on singing, songwriting and guitar playing talent, Harper would be a megastar. Produced by Squeeze's Glenn Tilbrook, this tightly-focused, band-based third album courts mainstream radio plays without compromising lyrical intelligence on everything from parenthood to politics, straddling electropop to torch song while the acoustic title track gives a flavour of Harper's devastating solo concerts. The NORTHERN ECHO - May 1998 It seems a shame that talented musicians such as Nick Harper are largely unheard of. Smithereens is full of quality tracks such as 'The Tyger', 'Out of It' and 'The Magnificent G-Seven' with clever lyrics and intricate guitar work. BIRMINGHAM WHAT'S ON - May 1998 His voice is often spookily reminiscent of father Roy (especially on 'Ghost of Her Touch'), he also shares his distinctive Englishness, guitar wizardry and knack for off kilter songs. New album 'Smithereens' (Quixotic) branches out musically, exploring jazz trippy beats ('In Our Times'), crunching rock pop textures ('My Baby'), choppy Lennonesque blues ('Twisted'), and even d'n'b (the decidedly 'Out of It') as well as familiar introspective acoustic. |
