It is difficult to take anyone seriously who calls himself either Superstar or Shifty. Even worse, photos on the artwork feature Har Mar's hairy butt and Shifty's tattooed and pierced torso... yuck!
Strangely, however, musically Har Mar is rather good. Heaps of influences are apparent on The Handler: Stevie Wonder, Dan Hartman and vintage Prince, with lyrics worthy of BA Robertson. Transit and Body Request would be excellent, if not for those tacky lyrics. It is hard to decipher if Har Mar Superstar is trying to appeal to the Jamiroquai fan base, or be a new age Ru Paul.
Likewise, Shifty is caught in a void between R Kelly's lush ballads and Eminem's urban cred. His lyrics are lightweight gangsta rap, telling of the woes of shooting up and living on amphetamines. Both acts steal mainstream ballads from long ago to bolster their efforts: Har Mar faithfully does Gilbert O'Sullivan's Alone Again Naturally, and Shifty remakes Minnie Ripperton's Lovin' You, as Ez Cuz You're Beautiful.
Updated: 08:59 Thursday, January 06, 2005
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article