Art Pop Gifts

We love The Harvey Girls historically minded pop sensibilities, the soft layers of multiple instruments and gentle co-vocals of Melissa and Hiram.

The lyrics to the songs on Declinate are haunting and convey deep vulnerability and a call of warning from the soul's heart "Waiting for the tornado can bring down anything".

Declinate was released by SVC Records in the Spring of 2007 - with all proceeds of sales to be donated to RAINN - The Rape Abuse and Incest National Network.

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By Mary Ann Naylor + Church of Girl
Published 16 July 2007

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From Lawrence to Portland

The Harvey Girls were orignally a group of young women working for a entrepreneur named Fred Harvey who gave the ladies free housing, high wages and an opportunity to see the country in exchange for their cheerful, irreproachable customer service as rail line waitresses. Their story is one of opportunity, adventure, and love; a story which rang true to a couple named Melissa and Hiram when they were choosing a name for their band. They had considered Fosbury Flops and Milk Milk Lemonade, but those names didn't fit. Then Melissa read about The Harvey Girls and the choice became clear.

Their album Blabber-n-Smoke is flirtatious and glimmering; a delicate balance of electronica and lo-fi pop without being either one. The hallmarks of The Harvey Girls style are Melissa's stirring and vulnerable voice, eccentric lyrics, and low-key melodies created with acoustic guitar, drums, electronic sampling, bass guitar, harmonica, horn, organ, pots, pans, shakers, and tambourine. The Harvey Girls music is part of the same musical constellation as Apples in Stereo, Stephen Malkmus, Stereolab, the Microphones, and Yo La Tengo.

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By Christopher Dylan Massey + Church of Girl
Published 05. July. 2007

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alphabetical