November 24th, 1999 Local Exposure

Local Exposure
CD Reviews of Area Musicians

Here in the Underground
Harry Francis
Littleman Records
www.harryfrancis.com.

by Jason Timoll

I must confess that when told that Harry Francis, keyboard player for the popular band Mr. Greengenes, had an independent project available, I didn’t know what to think. After all, I’ve seen Mr.Greengenes whirl a not so small crowd into a mad frenzy by playing today’s and yesterday’s hits — all written by other people. It would not be dishonest to say that when I think of distinguished cover bands, bands like Green Eggs and Spam and Mr. Greengenes shoot into my mind as a matter of immediate reaction. What has become evident to me in experiencing Francis’ new album, Here in the Underground, is that being able to perform many styles of music well can have a similar effect as learning classical music as a student. It is can act as the fundamental prerequisite for inordinate creativity. From the first song to the last, Francis flexes a very unique and distinguished ear that allows him to sell his delivery with zeal and authority.

At 29, Harry Francis has the benefit of being seasoned and still in his twenties. While the last five years has been primarily dedicated to the busy touring schedule of Mr. Greengenes, Francis has allowed the concept for this independent release to simmer until this time in the workings of his mind. Having always known that he would be forced to answer the calling to create his own music, making this debut recording a smashing piece seemed a natural step in his illustrious career. Mr. Greengenes was not simply a steppingstone for him — the experience has placed him in front of over a half million people in many different venues. Amongst their credits includes having shared the stage with the likes of Veruca Salt, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, G-love and Special Sauce, The Commitments, and Better than Ezra to name a few. Mr. Greengenes maintained such a busy schedule that it allowed the execution of music to morph into a singular extension of his everyday life. The ability to play everyday creates a zone that few ever get to know and build from. Earlier in 1999, Francis accepted a second place award from the Mid Atlantic Song Contest in their pop music category fore best song with "Valentine", the second offering on the CD. An astute observer can hear the discipline that only a trained arranger and writer can exact on his work. Unsurprisingly, Francis holds a B.S. degree from West Chester University and actually taught music composition at an area elementary middle school. Professionalism is the name of his game.

The first song on this album is a very full production called "The Secret World". With a very dizzying rhythm that induces dreamy confusion, this track lingers near the realm of ’80s INXS or FYC in terms of its vibe and presentation. Because Francis’ PR staff presence is comfortable comparing his music to more established acts, I don’t feel I should apologize for doing the same. Especially when the comparisons are flattering. I.E. I can only describe the melodic engagement on this CD as a whole as being comparable to that of Billy Joel. If one where to pick 10 great Billy Joel songs, odds are that no two of them would resemble one another in any significant way. The same is true with Harry Francis. He is all across the board but with no loose ends.

Track two is the aforementioned "Valentine", a song for which he received his M.A.S.C award. This song has a rather haunting backdrop that rather resembles the pulsation of a Frankenstein movie or Munsters theme song. In the introduction, Francis uses what sounds like news coverage sound bites about the deaths of famous entertainers’ untimely deaths — and it goes on to have a catchy chorus and tell an interesting story. I could easily understanding how this song has brought him accolade, though it was not close to being my favorite song on the record. I think that group that awarded him for that song was awarding his creativity as much as substance. Perhaps moreso than any other this song is it’s own entity from the first to the last second. Very non-derivative.

My favorite track on this album is track number five, "Afterall". You can always get me with a strong ballad. Stripped to predominantly piano and a smooth voice, Francis simply dug extra deep and came up with a stellar love song. "Afterall" could be the soundtrack to a major motion picture or simply released as a single — it’s an incomparable winner. Other songs of note are tack six and eight, "Superman Was Here" and "Without you".

I could not have enjoyed this CD anymore than I did, although I do think that a heavy money mastering job would enhance the production to another level. Since starting his own label and working to release this record, Harry Francis has done himself proud. I finished listening to this album thinking that if someone can write from so many different hearts, there is an unlimited amount of material left to be done. I have added this record to my personal pile of active CDs and would recommend that anyone do the same.

Harry will continue to tour in support of this recording well into next year.

For performance dates and future plans for Harry Francis, contact Littleman Records at www.harryfrancis.com.