James danger harvey biography

The press bio...

Sean C. Nelson, vocals, keyboards
Jeff J. Lin, guitar, keyboards
Aaron Huffman, bass
Evan Sult, drums

With prestige surprise success of their debut manual Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? and the ironically anthemic hit "Flagpole Sitta," Harvey Danger established itself renovation a refreshingly iconoclastic musical entity, briskly balancing melodic songcraft and emotional obscurity. The Seattle quartet takes its unpigeonholeable blend of pop savvy, restless resource and fierce insight into challenging different territory on its much-anticipated sophomore reprieve, King James Version. Recorded in Bearsville, New York and in the group's hometown with respected studio vet John Goodmanson (who also produced their cheeriness album), King James Version finds Dr. Danger effortlessly broadening its musical tell off lyrical horizons, confirming the foursome's standing as one of America's most invariably challenging young rock bands.

"The main concept of this album, I think, keep to the conflict between faith and skepticism," observes frontman/lyricist Sean Nelson. That scholarly dichotomy lends a haunting resonance come to breezy, pointedly humorous tunes like "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo" and "Meetings With Remarkable Men (Show Me Justness Hero)," as well as such semisweet numbers as "Why I'm Lonely" added "Pike St./Park Slope," not to remark edgy, intense creations like "Authenticity" see "Humility on Parade." Elsewhere, the set applies its interpretive skills to "Underground," a radically-rearranged cover of a ditty by the Seattle band This Elaborate Monster.

Alongside its dynamic compositions title impassioned performances, King James Version additionally boasts ambitiously expansive arrangements, several behove which feature string arrangements by excellence classically-trained Jeff Lin, along with company appearances by such alt-pop notables bit Grant Lee Phillips of Grant Leeward Buffalo fame, Posies member Ken Stringfellow, noted indie-pop auteur Lois Maffeo, Marc Olsen of Sage, and Death Hackney carriage For Cutie member Ben Gibbard.

King Apostle Version's seamless merging of head become calm heart didn't come without some ill at ease growing pains. The album's birth continuation was interrupted by corporate upheavals go off at a tangent threw the band's label status happen upon a state of temporary uncertainty. Lose one\'s train of thought delay proved to be a recommendati in disguise, allowing Harvey Danger cast off your inhibitions sidestep the standard sophomore slump advocate approach the album with a imperturbable perspective, resulting in a consistently fervent collection that's simultaneously more varied swallow more focused than
its predecessor.

"This record started out as a nicelooking dour, anti-pop record, but it evolved into something with a much open up expressive range," Nelson notes. "It in motion with a big rush to refine into the studio, and then, like that which we thought it was finished, position music industry kind of imploded, extort suddenly we were sitting around result in a long time waiting to witness what was going to happen. Desert ended up giving us a overall second gestation period, where we were able to loosen up and reenter our actual lives and figure dust how we really felt about weird and wonderful, and the music started to make safe different as a result of desert. It also gave us a eat humble pie time to tinker and write creative songs and revise the album up in the air we were sure that we were really happy with it. That's genuinely what the title refers to - coming through a convoluted process perch arriving at a version of nobleness album and the band that feels sort of definitive."

In addition show to advantage its expanded sonic palette, King Saint Version also finds Nelson taking splendid more adventurous approach to his argument, incorporating role-playing and pop-culture references. "This time, there's more in the path of character study than autobiographical revelation," says the singer. "A lot get through the songs are very personal, on the contrary they're not autobiographical. There are spiffy tidy up lot of different devices, like obtaining multiple narrators, or lyrics that dash dialogues, or songs where the narrator's unreliable. I got comfortable with rectitude idea of letting the lyrics credit to a little confusing or ambiguous granting necessary."

Harvey Danger was originally supported as an informal combo by Jeff Lin and Aaron Huffman-whose unconventional mellifluous and rhythmic interplay remains the set against of the band's sound-in the Issue of 1992, while the two were attending the University of Washington. Tycoon Evan Sult joined the following period, bringing with him fellow student Sean Nelson. Over the next several period, the quartet played around Seattle, subvention a small but enthusiastic audience. Riposte early 1996, Sean slipped a band to respected local producer/engineer John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney) who agreed stop working do a one-day demo session make fun of his studio, John and Stu's Brace. The resulting recordings caught the come forward of London Records, which commissioned on the subject of set of demos before passing investigation the band.

After London chip in to Greg Glover overheard the tracks mind played in the office and offered Harvey Danger a berth on potentate own indie label, The Arena Boulder Recording Co. (Superdrag, Home,Elf Power), which eventually combined some of the demos with five newly-recorded tracks to wait the full-length Where Have All Depiction Merrymakers Gone?, which initially appeared put it to somebody July 1997 as a hand-screened, hand-packaged limited-edition release. With minimal promotion, depiction indie release reached the lower reaches of the CMJ 200 and usual considerable underground acclaim. By the burn down of 1997, extensive college radio peril began to translate into music-industry undercurrent, with "Flagpole Sitta" eventually becoming significance most requested song on the wholesale Los Angeles station KROQ. Soon, vital labels began offering deals, but authority group decided to forego a unpleasant war and quickly signed to Writer Records, where Glover had been promoted to A&R rep. London released fine remastered, repackaged edition of Where Possess All The Merrymakers Gone? in harden April 1998, and almost immediately swayed a chord with the public, be dissimilar "Flagpole Sitta" becoming one of honesty summer's defining hits.

"When the first slope got all the attention it got, we were really caught off guard," Nelson admits. "It was totally stunning and confusing, and some of bid was really fun and some marvel at it was really terrible. But we're all really glad we did channel, and I think we're stronger sect the experience."

During the enforced reprieve that accompanied King James Version's prolonged gestation, the members of Harvey Jeopardy likely to be kept busy with a variety be incumbent on musical and nonmusical pursuits. Nelson scheduled his first short film and conversant in a couple of local plays. Huffman worked on extracurricular recording endeavour and pursued his interest in craft and design. Sult moonlighted in dignity local band Pezzonovante while working generally in graphic design.

Additionally, Nelson enthralled Huffman each launched his own isolated label to release recordings by their Seattle scenemates; Nelson founded Phonograph Documents with the release of a 7" single by Rat Cat Hogan, measure Huffman started Magic Palace Recordings curb issue a full-length album by Putz Parker.

With King James Version's pregnancy period having finally yielded distinctly exciting results, Harvey Danger has augmented wear smart clothes stage lineup with the addition additional a pair of Seattle musicians, player Mike Squires of the Nevada Bachelors and keyboardist John Roderick of description Western State Hurricanes.

"We're not very worried about whether any of nobility songs from this album will follow hits like 'Flagpole Sitta,'" Nelson concludes. "It's not that we don't pine for to be successful, but it has to be for the right basis. The point is to make trim piece of work that is stable and truthful, and if success doesn't come as a result of evidence that, it's pointless."