Mud Is My Ally in The Rocket

With a title like Mud Is My Ally, you’d think that listening to Harvester’s new release would be a sticky situation.  On the contrary, the quartet’s album opens with the aptly titled song “Slow,” which slips out smoothly and gracefully, more like margarine than mud.  This song sets the mood for Harvester’s 18-song, self-dubbed “jangle crusade,” though the tempo picks up a bit as the LP progresses.  Principal singer/songwriter Sean Harrasser eases us into songs with riffs pretty enough to make you think that he sings like Tom Petty, then jump-starts the melody with drums and good ol’ American gusto.  “GE Softlight Canon” has the makings of a classic rock song, and “Girl” employs some surprising chord changes and a Van Morrison “sha-la-la” break-it-down section.  Guitarist Jed Brewer throws in a few songs of his own, perhaps the most innovative ones on the album.  “Pendleton” and “Teenage Foot Soldier” are quirky and expressive tunes, both strangely reminiscent of something from a Silver Jews album.  Together, Harvester play enough to not be “too country,” and enough folk to not be “too rock”; thus the album is a constant game of hit and miss.  Mud Is My Ally is long-winded and doesn’t do much to counteract the band’s image as a folky, funny outfit, but it certainly has its share of inspirational moments.  The band says mud is its ally, but on “This Dirt Don’t Hurt,” Brewer affirms again and again that “this dirt is clean.” 

- Katy Davidson