Best of: Harem Scarem

OK, if you are just getting into Harem Scarem, go ahead and snag this record if you just want an overview. But be warned, if you are into this style of music (heavy melodic AOR, sort of like Whitesnake meets Van Hagar meets Def Leppard with smoking guitar and vocals), you will more than likely go buy everything they've ever recorded, which will make this purchase basically obsolete. It doesn't help that it's an expensive import, and you can snag 3 or 4 of their other titles used for the same price...Anyway, what's here is great, although some of the tunes seem randomly selected (especially from their masterpiece "Mood Swings"... "No Justice" over "Sentimental Boulevard"?) I think the biggest incentives for purchasing this album is the studio version of "Tables Turning," of which I think only a live version exists elsewhere. This song is a melodic monster with excerpts from their early demo "Say Goodbye" (later to appear on Early Years CD). I won't go into all the best tunes here like I do in my other reviews, but suffice to say that I really don't hit the skip button (maybe on "Turn Around", but it's still solid). Harem Scarem may be the best kept secret in melodic rock, here's to hoping they won't stay a secret forever...they're just too talented.

Who are the greatest melodic hard rock artists ever? Survivor? Styx? Journey? Toto? or Hardline? Maybe so. But aren't you forgetting some of the 90s essential melodic rock giants such as Ten, Fair Warning and Harem Scarem? Japanese rock fans are fortunate to have them all and some of their titles reached album top 30 in Oricon album chart in Japan.Harem Scarem who recently restarted their career is the most hopeful rock band melodic rock world is proud to introduce as representative. This compilation is incomplete for music fans that have any of their albums. For me missing some of my top favorites such as Stranger Than Love, Sentimental Blvd from Mood Swings their most known work ever and Reload from Big Bang Theory is unbearable (main reason of 3 3/4 stars). Yet for ordinary music fans it is the most easily reachable one and gives you the idea how this band sounds like. It is not the repetition of 80s band and well mixed in modern rock vibe in excellent manner. Their music is characterized by lots of twists and turns from slow to up tempo from moody to aggressive. They put the dynamism in people's changing mood into beautifully structured rock songs. Get it if you like either Mood Swings or their latest Weight Of The World and want to hear more of their major songs.

Better then anything, and I mean anything you ever heard in the late 80's - early 90's hairband heyday. This is the textbook definition of melodic hard rock. The only thing I can remotely compare this to may be the new Danger Danger release "The Return of the Great Gildersleeves". Its a shame this band is only known in the States as an import item. Also check out the bands new look as "Rubber".

I've never been able to even order this hard-to-get Canadian import band until now! I couldn't believe they were this good! What a waste of the early 90's hair band scene in the States to have these guys hidden as an import!!

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