Allan Rayman

Harry Hard-On

BY Ryan B. PatrickPublished Nov 16, 2018

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After a fleeting flirtation with being up for interacting with media, Allan Rayman has apparently gone back underground, back to being more and more mysterious.
 
The Toronto singer-songwriter and musician simply has no time for explaining his musical motives at the moment — yet, third album Harry Hard-On, adds more layers of intrigue.
 
Building off of his Courtney EP and the 2017 full-length Roadhouse 01, this nine-track outing (produced by Andrew Dawson) leans in harder on rock elements while retaining R&B and blues undertones.
 
Rayman lives for the dark, explorative space between love, lust and the imagery this evokes. "Might Get Strange" maintains a smoky, organ-driven vibe; "Rose" delves into the seedy side of touring and stardom; "Crush" goes for a melancholic grunge feel; "Never Any No Good" revels in '80s rock licks and "Amy" flickers with an ominous energy and allure.
 
Rayman's vocal ability continues to stand out, a gravelly, controlled tone that intuitively knows when to wild out and when to rein it in. Harry Hard-On rocks from its pulpit, connecting with its congregation and potentially adding new followers in the process, media observers be damned.
(Universal)

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