This Magazine Staff
Some people might consider Seattle foursome Harvey Danger to be a one-hit wonder, owing to the 1998 song that made them semi-famous: “Flagpole Sitta.” I actually really liked the whole Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? album, which featured clever lyrical wordplay and bright, heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Now the band has decided to release their new album, Little By Little, as a completely free download from their website or via Bittorrent. It’s a gutsy move that will directly impact record sales (obviously), but having listened to the first five tracks I feel inclined to keep an eye out for their tour and buy a ticket to see them live. Little By Little is something of a departure — the band has retained the witty lyrics I liked but added lots of piano and toned down the heavy a bit — and the end result is catchy, somewhat soulful and reminds me of Spoon. To me, a decision like this shows a lot of smarts on Harvey Danger’s part, and I like them all the more for it.