I've got some two years worth of music in my iTunes database, so when I put that sucker in random it takes a while to cycle through everything. But every once in a while a Brady Harris track comes along, and I wonder what's new with him. Well, this is the answer. And while there are a few cosmetic differences from the last set I reviewed seventeen years ago, the basics are as solid as ever.

Brady Harris Hotel in the Sky EP (self-released)

Harris has a keen sense of the friction point between punchy rock and anglophile power pop. For those old enough, World Party is a fair comp, if only in general style and quality. Harris has a knack for understated hooks and songs that lock in almost immediately. The five songs here are unsurprisingly excellent.

I took a look at what Harris has been doing since last we met, and he seems to have been releasing something every few years, which is the same M.O. he had in the early oughts. The songs here show that he's been keeping his chops in good shape. There's nothing new in them, but boy, do they satisfy.

In any case, Harris hasn't succumbed to the dread "just playing out the string" disease. These songs are short, sharp and totally engaging. His sardonic lyrics haven't lost their bite, and his ability to find the precise riff that unlocks a hook hasn't diminished one bit. It's always good to catch up with old friends, especially one that's doing as well as Harris. Carry on.

Jon Worley