On the spoken word of "The Body Keeps Score", the opening track of When the World for Humans End by San Franciscan indie rock collective Harlow's Monkeys, the listener is treated to a dulcet harbringer which lays out the philosophical raison d'être of the EP; late-stage capitalism means the world would be better off without humans.
Fronted by songwriter Tommy P, the group deal with the hefty subject cleverly, not necessarily in the music, which more often than not explodes in sunny and optimistic bursts of major-chord, college-radio-friendly indie jams, but with straightforward lyrics that are by turns eye-opening and inventive.
Despite the band taking their name from the controversial studies of primates by Harry Harlow, the group's music is anything but ethically negligent. In fact, their modus operandi is to bring ethical questions to the table. For example, "You Don't Have to Change if You Don't Want to" offers a sympathic edge to the question of how much personal responsibility should we take for our involvment with society.
While Harlow's Monkeys is primarily a vehicle for Tommy P's thoughtful and socially conscious songs, his band help him bring these songs to fruition. However, the names of these members are omitted in press materials or social channels. It's unfortunate; the players behind the solid drumming, enchanting female vocals, and well-rounded bass deserve to be recognized.
For example, "Magnolia" sees the two vocalists of the group trade off duties. Salient male vocals contrast with sweet female vocals with the same effectiveness of salted caramel. Musically, this lyrically-driven folk rock ("innocence is gone, it's clear as day, snuff films sponsored by the state") is embellished with sweeping orchestration and the kind of grassroots folk-activism that made Bright Eyes so successful.
Although "I Hold My Breathe When I Should Speak" may be misspelled (surely the writer meant 'breath' instead of 'breathe'?), it doesn't take away from the impact of a song that examines the life of a pacificist, and it reaches intensity through dramatic playing and singing that never loses control of itself.
A highlight on the EP is the title-track, which is a highly melodic and well-structured song with plenty of twists and turns. Listening to this album could leave one questioning how responsible they are for enacting the social change they want to see in the world. While it's easy to succumb to apathy, there are nuggets of wisdom in the songs that could galvanize the most staunch conscientious objector to join the picket line. However, Tommy P is not one to preach, and ultimately shows his audience how it is each of own decision to either go along with the mess of the modern world or to be willfully ignorant to its flaws.
When the World for Humans End by Harlow's Monkeys approaches the destruction of late-stage capitalism with rosey-eyed optomism while not neglecting the seriousness of their subject matter. While the upbeat musical style sometimes clashes with the dark subject matter, and the lyrics could be more effective if they were more explicitly political, there's effectiveness in the nuance. Singing about the destruction humans have caused to the world without resorting to the morose is a feat in itself, a challenge Harlow's Monkey impressively pull off.
★★★½