Reaching back to the days when artists like Al Stewart (“Year of the Cat”) and Fleetwood Mac (mid-‘70s version) floated from every other car radio alongside Eric Clapton, Harlequin Dream embraces the breezy, easy rock soundtrack to what were actually fairly fast-changing, crazy times. Boy & Bear nail the golden, summery rock of these artists (and especially The Mac) on the opening salvo, “Southern Sun,” with its warm electric piano and wistful guitars. Singer David Hosking’s own dusky, pleasing tones are as comforting as a loon call. The title track moves with wonderful propulsion and energy, and “Bridges” has a brawny willowiness that gets the self-confessed drunken narrator’s point across easily. The beautiful, twinkling guitar and pining melody of “A Moment’s Grace” is sweetly haunting, and the rich, Tom Petty–esque slow rocker “Stranger” makes for great windows-down driving music.
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