Ezra Furman and the Harpoons
Artist: Ezra Furman and the Harpoons
Hails From: Boston and New York
Musical Style: Alternative Pop/Rock, Indie Pop, Singer-songwriter
For Fans of: Violent Femmes, Okkervil River, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Bright Eyes
Why you should check them out:
These rockers, barely into their 20’s, have emerged fully-formed onto the scene and are not leaving anytime soon. Infectious and precocious, they’ve already released a few tunes that would be radio hits if, well, radio knew what was good for it.
Background Check:
Tufts University, an elite institution located just north of Boston, is not traditionally knows as a cutting-edge musical hotbed. Yet in 2006 it birthed young upstarts Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, formed as an outlet for Furman’s burgeoning catalog of songs. The band combines elements of lit-rock Americana, singer-songwriter folkiness, punk energy and good old fashion pop to produce an insistant and immediate brand of rock.
Singing of sunglasses, wolves and starlet Kirsten Dunst, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons churn out radio-ready ditties designed to invade your earholes and swim around for a while. A tight rhythm section coupled with ebulliently-strummed guitars carry Furman’s warbling, oft-center vocals. The tunes are heartfelt and sincere, and their exuberance jumps out of the speakers.
The prodigious band has already released two full-lengths on Chicago’s excellent Minty Fresh Records, the latter of which, 2008’s Inside the Human Body, cracked more than a few critics’ year end top 10 lists. The band has worked closely with producer Brian Deck, who sports an impressive resume which includes work with the likes of Iron and Wine and Modest Mouse.
Where you can find them in Cyberspace:
Ezra Furman and the Harpoons Website
On Tour: