happy time harry - strike you down

Happy Time Harry

Strike You Down
self-released; 2013

3,6 out of 5

By Ethan Skeleton

For as much sound as Strike You Down boasts, it’s hard to believe that only two men from Boston are behind the curtain of Happy Time Harry. They’ve been hard at work touring wherever New England will have them. Where have I been while this was going on? Happy Time Harry is made up of  Craig Peura (vocals/guitar) and Patrick Queenan (drums) who mix gritty rock  with blues to create digestible songs that make you want take down a six pack.

First things first, “Cowboy” is hard-nosed rock n’ roll and sets the tone for what’s to come using heavy guitar, deep drums and vocals that tease toward growl. The chorus loses just a little energy, but you know that intro riff is coming back and it just makes it all the more mirror breaking.

On “Let It Go” there is a calling out to jilted love and it’s no surprise that the guitars are just as angry as the lyrics. “I’ll never let you go, I will find you.” Dangerous, compassionate, both? You decide. It's a knee stomper with a great vocal line where the singer sounds a bit like Josh Homme when he sings in a lower octave range.

“Sees You There” brings in the fuzz while the aptly named “Invincible” unloads the action right away with open hats and gritty chords. The final track "Tear Me Down" opens with a melancholy chord walk down and 6/8 time artistically punctuated and placed percussively. The vocals are given a chance to really shine in the chorus. I couldn't but help think the song sounded a lot like the album cover. It reminded me of a cowboy walking into a small town and playing quick draw with the nearest villan.

Want a short, fast, and loud ride? Strike You Down might do just that. So take hold of something and hit play.

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