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| My signed copy of Harriet's album The Outcome, 2023. (Photo by Mark C. Taylor) |
Singer and songwriter Harriet released an excellent album last year. Titled The Outcome, it collects 10 original songs, all co-written by Harriet, and 2 covers. The Outcome is an affecting album, full of songs of love lost and love gained. Harriet has a lovely alto voice, and the songs she wrote for The Outcome show off the full range of her instrument.
Harriet’s voice is often compared to Karen Carpenter’s, and what they have in common, in addition to their low alto range, is an exceptional warmth in the timbre of their voices. It feels like Harriet is singing just to you, and there’s a warmth and intimacy to her voice that comes across in every song she sings.
I won’t go through every song on The Outcome, but here are some thoughts about some of my favorite songs on the album.
“Story of Your Life” is an up-tempo pop song that starts with an insistent synth line. The lyrics deal with self-doubt and empowerment. In the second verse, Harriet wonders “And why do I run/from all the things I’ve done/when every adventure is part of the fun?” There are always times when we wonder if we’ve made the right decision or wonder why we’ve made certain decisions. Harriet sings on the catchy chorus: “No angels left to save you/just demons left to fight/it’s time to be the hero/in the story of your life.” That’s a message that most of us can probably relate to—to take charge and not be afraid to be the central character in our own narratives. Harriet’s backing vocals on “Story of Your Life” are fantastic, and you can really hear the wonderful tone of her vocals.
“Heartbreak Holiday” is a fun, up tempo song that finds Harriet having a fun night out on the town after a relationship has ended. Harriet tells us that she’s “gonna break my rules/in my Hollywood shoes,” that put her “six inches closer to the stratosphere.”
“Nothing Hurts Like You,” is an original song, and the lyrics tell of a love affair that has ended. But memories come flooding back as Harriet sees her old flame with someone new. As Harriet sings on the chorus, “It’s not like me to be this jealous/oh, but nothing hurts like you/heart in heart with someone new.” Harriet does a great job of infusing emotion into her voice, and she’s especially good at hitting that fine line between happy and sad that the Carpenters and ABBA seemed to do so well.
“Real” is a lovely song about a new romance beginning, and one of my favorite happy songs on the album.
“Drop in the Ocean” is a bit of a different sound for Harriet, as it’s more of a dance pop tune than the 1970’s-inspired melodic pop style that Harriet usually favors. The instrumentation of the song centers mainly around keyboards and bass. Lyrically, the song deals with the end of a relationship, as Harriet consoles this listener with the catchy chorus: “It’s just a drop, drop, drop in the ocean/Stop, stop, stop at the notion/One tear doesn’t amount to much/This little drop, drop, drop in the ocean/Flood, flood, flooded an ocean/One tear never is quite enough.”
“The Outcome” is the last song on the album, and it’s an excellent closing song, as Harriet reminds us “To live is to die some, forget the outcome.” It’s a good reminder to seize the day and take a chance.
If you love melodic pop songs with catchy chorus and superb lead vocals, you’ll enjoy Harriet’s album The Outcome.
