- When Harry met Henry is not a sequel to, nor a parody of Rob Reiner’s 1989 classic When Harry Met Sally. Harry Pratt was creating synth-based melodies around mid-2018 in Brisbane though without a “voice” for the project he was formulating from his room. Connecting with childhood friend Henry Anderson added not only a dedicated guitarist but a vocalist with moody, baritone level vocals; and thus, Syrup was born.
Male duos seem to be a rarer breed in this decade, perhaps even this century. Pratt drew influences from an eclectic background – The Cure, David Bowie, Talking Heads - all his parents’ generation, to something more contemporaneous Ariel Pink, Metronomy and Toro Y Moi. Anderson’s vocals sit in an area that doesn’t immediately show a nod to any of the former, however the stylings of Ariel Pink are noticeable. Though, going further back, Anderson has captured a blending of Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry and Flowers/Icehouse’s Iva Davies. There is a “something” about his drifting in the phrasing and holding the listener’s ear close to the lyrics as they slide out between the riffs and hooks that Pratt is providing.
Another reference point is Melbourne’s Slum Sociable, perhaps the only other alt-pop male duo of recent times. The Brisbane/Gold Coast duo sent their demos to the Melbourne duo and voila Ed Quinn of same said pair replied that he’d be happy to co-produce those demos up into an EP. While the comparison between the two duos isn’t a carbon-copy exercise, the creation of a very “hook-heavy” (as the publicity blurb has it) project, could differentiate the two to the casual listener.
The EP opens with a bold statement of that “hook-heavy” label, “UNLOAD” does that – unloads a driving rhythm and some cajoling lyrics, almost as if you are eavesdropping on a lover’s testy conversation. “Something To Wear” is as groovy as all get out, something Client Liaison wouldn’t be ashamed to cover and gives Anderson a chance to show his guitar playing skills with a virtuosic riff toward the end. The title track is a slightly swaying little instrumental co-written with Quinn, leading, palate-cleanser like, into “The Island Self” and its here that Anderson’s vocals assume their most Bryan Ferry like quality, fairly mesmerizing as he is mixed in and around Pratt’s keys and some very on-pointe fuzz guitar layering. The EP ends with a bit of a throwback in style to the early 80s synth-pop of Iva Davies’ Icehouse with “Ride Safe”, a bittersweet commentary on life and relationships.
Where does Syrup go from here? Anderson has a unique vocal style that isn’t heard much in the alt-pop world and Pratt has shown he has a knack for creating a hook. For those keen to know where crafted pop music may be going, it’s clear they will be worth following.
- Blair Martin.