HARBOUR’s self titled record is an indie/rock masterpiece

HARBOUR is a band you have probably never heard of.

They are from Cincinnati, Ohio, and their sound can be summed into one word; it makes you want to roll down all the windows in your car and drive to the beach.

They have put out three albums; their self-titled debut record came out in 2015, then Heatwave in 2017, followed by Thoughts On Letting Go in 2019.

Lets take a look at their first release, HARBOUR.

The debut album contains 13 tracks. We won’t be looking at all of them today, but the ones that stand out the most. This one is probably my personal favorite by them.

Let’s start with the first track “What I’m Looking For“, the first thing that stands out to me are the drums. This song sets the tone for the indie/rock sound that they succeed so well at. The lyrics are catchy, and it honestly sounds like something you would hear out of a movie, and I’m not mad about it.

Now to “February” the third song on the album. The drums again are spectacular, and the way they are the only thing that back the vocals creates a really fun acapella-esque sound. The guitars are playful and bouncy, and the lyrics tell a great story. It’s one of my favorites for sure. The bass line before the bridge of the song also brings that part of the song to a different place, with the sound of it being so low. It’s an interesting contrast to the rest of the song.

“Yachts and Canoes” sounds similar to the two songs listed earlier. I really like the range that lead singer Ryan Green showcases on this song. The “hey! hey! hey!’s” are very catchy, and I think it really shows the complex approaches they take to their music.

I wanted to include “Under The Moon” because it marks the middle of the record. It’s acoustic, its just over a minute long, and it provides a great contrast to the record. It is a very simple song, relatively speaking, but it breaks it up in a beautiful way. Even though its an interlude, I listen to it so often when I’m studying, trying to fall asleep, or when I’m driving around. It’s a very relaxing song.

“Cardinal” is probably the most well-known song on the record. There isn’t a lot of singing, so all the focus is on the instruments. The guitar again is something that excels massively on this track. All around, the instrumental parts are just so beautifully done.

“Tonight, Tonight” is a bit slower of a song, and a little less upbeat. It again showcases Green’s vocal range. The song is pretty quick too, but it gets its message across very well. The guitar again is what stands out to me the most here.

“What Happened To Us‘ was the first song I heard from HARBOUR. The emotion of the song is so real and genuine. The melody is slow and moving. The bridge is really where it picks up, and where it is the most emotional. The breakdown (as I’m choosing to call it), where the music swells and the band screams “What happened to us?”, followed by Green singing “I will wait for you”, hit the hardest out of the whole song. The story of the song can be encapsulated in that one moment.

HARBOUR is an album that you really have to listen to in order to get the full experience. My words do not do it justice. I highly recommend this album, especially if you are into the indie/rock genre, or if you just want to hear a band that is exceptionally good at what they do, and incredibly original with their sound.

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