Singles Mixer #6: "Lady, You Shot Me" by Har Mar Superstar

You broke my one rule, you treated me cruel...

Hello again, music fans! Welcome to Singles Mixer #6!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Singles Mixer column, here's the story. On the occasion of Minnesota musicians releasing singles of note, we ask one of our regular contributors to give us their take on the song. As is the case with our Songs Of The Week column, the song is reviewed and then given a score of 1-5.

Last week Minnesota native Har Mar Superstar released the song “Lady, You Shot Me,” the lead single from his new album Bye Bye 17. We asked the perpetually-available TCDroogsma to give us his thoughts on the song.

So, Droogsy, thoughts?

On first listen to “Lady, You Shot Me,” the question that comes to mind is, “has Har Mar Superstar finally grown up?”

Now, that's not a fair question. Anybody who's been around the Twin Cities music scene long enough is well familiar with both sides of Sean Tillman. As Sean Na Na ,Tillman has been making poppy, hook-laden indie pop sporadically for years. And over the course of three full-length albums and a handful of EP's he's proven repeatedly that he is capable of subtlety, nuance, maturity, and a keen eye for observation. Unfortunately, this often-brilliant work has led to little more than cult fandom and headlining gigs at places like The Kitty Kat Club & The Whole.

Har Mar Superstar, on the other hand, has always trafficked in synth-y, funk-y, sex-drenched rave ups. Oh, the songs are still packed with hooks (the man knows how to make a song stick), but the lyrics have, on occasion, veered close to novelty. On the strength of those hooks, bump-and-grind jams, who's-in-on-the-joke curiosity, and the eternal appeal of a chubby guy in a Speedo, Har Mar Superstar became, well, a star (especially in Europe), finding his way to headlining gigs in New York City and buddying up with the likes of Karen O.

Even though the two sides of Sean Tillman rarely met in the middle, they always shared one common trait: killer hooks. Neither of these two acts would have succeeded if Tillman didn't have a knack for earworms that most songwriters would kill for (he was famously enlisted to write a song for Britney Spears, the excellent “Tall Boy,” which she rejected and he eventually just recorded himself.)

True to form, “Lady, You Shot Me” goes for the gusto right off the bat. One quick drumroll and next thing you know the horns are blaring and Tillman is wrapping his voice around the latest in a long line of classic hooks. The surprise is in the lyrics to the chorus. “Lady, you shot me, on top of all the tears you brought me. You broke my one rule, you treated me cruel,” is devoid of any sort of irony or detachment. After a career built at least somewhat on setups and punchlines, “Lady, You Shot Me” is refreshing in that, for the first time I can remember, people downloading the “new Har Mar Superstar single” and waiting for the joke are going to be disappointed. More than likely, they'll be surprised the the guy who wrote “Almond Joy” could put out something like this.

While that chorus is what grabs your attention, it's the verse that gives the song its staying power. The tempo picks up, there's some nifty guitar pickin', and Tillman sounding like the happiest heart-broken guy ever. Perhaps the most telling line in the whole song comes in this verse, as Tillman tells his ex, “I'll get back in line behind the other guys, there's a chance you'll let me back into your heart.” The Har Mar Superstar we all know would never have taken this approach, likely choosing to walk away, tell her that she's the one missing out, and then having sex with her sister.

The track as a whole has a definite throwback feel to it (a marked departure from the dance-funk that makes up most of the Har Mar Superstar catalog). Tillman finds the soul in his voice that he's only hinted at in the past (notably on another jilted-lover track, “Alone Again (Naturally)”) and spends most of the song sounding like Julian Casablancas doing an Otis Redding impression. That's a compliment. He sounds assured & confident, knowing just where his voice can go and how to use it best. Vocally, he's come a long way from Dance 'Til Your Baby Is A Man.

Still, in addition to Tillman's excellent vocals, the song's texture is provided by the musicians manning the horns and guitar. Both instruments sound like they came straight out of Nashville circa 1975, bold yet rough, aware that they're playing a role. Stars but not the star. Despite the Nashville sound, they don't call to mind old Al Green records as much as The Replacements “Can't Hardly Wait,” another song that featured an artist making an unexpected push toward maturity. Maybe that's just a Minnesota thing, but I don't think so. Much like Paul Westerberg found a new voice in some old soul (and the old soul in his voice), Tillman sounds like he's reaching for something and the horns are there to push him along.

The title of Har Mar Superstar's new album is Bye Bye 17 and it's easy to see why “Lady, You Shot Me” was the first song released off it. I can't help but think that the “17” in the title is less about Tillman growing up (he's done plenty of that as Sean Na Na) and more about the average age of his audience. Trust me, I was a young man when “Baby, Do You Like My Clothes?” came out. It was a blast then, but not something I find myself listening to at 31. “Lady, You Shot Me” definitely gives me the impression that Bye Bye 17 is the first Har Mar Superstar album I can listen to as an adult and make a connection with. I didn't need another version of “Body Request” to drunkenly sing along with anyway.

“Lady, You Shot Me” stands out as the closest Tillman's two personalities have come to sharing a song. Is he growing up? Not necessarily. More accurately, he seems to be growing into his skin, letting his “personalities” finally blend together. By letting a bit of Sean Na Na seep into the Har Mar Superstar side of things, maybe it'll finally get to the point where Tillman is known more for his remarkable talent then his schtick. If not, well, Speedo's are cheap and plentiful.

Final Score: 4/5

There you have it, folks. “Lady, You Shot Me,” the lead single from the new Har Mar Superstar album Bye Bye 17 reviewed and filed away.  Bye Bye 17 will be released April 23rd.

For more TCDroogsma, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our weekly Flatbasset Radio podcast.

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