I first heard of Chicago’s Ezra Furman & The Harpoons when they played at one of my favorite local clubs a couple of months ago. I still regret my decision to skip the gig – I was heading out of town the next day and had the pre-travel “things to do”. But I digress… the name of the band was intriguing, so I visited Ezra’s MySpace page and completely fell in love with what I heard.
Ezra’s voice is sort of an amalgam of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s Alec Ounsworth and a young Bob Dylan. Indeed, he has been drawing quite a lot of Dylan comparisons, which is really unfortunate, as Ezra – while certainly influenced by Bob Dylan – has his own unique sound. The Harpoons’ music is folky but with a distinctive punk edge. Ezra’s lyrics are poignant and funny and they completely belie his mere 20 years upon this earth.
Though The Harpoons’ debut album, Banging Down The Doors, is loaded with gems, “Halloween Snow” is one of my favorite tracks. It’s a clever tune about an eloping couple whose travel misadventures lead them to wonder if their relationship is doomed. If his songwriting is this good at 20 years old, Ezra Furman’s got a brilliant career to look forward to.
mp3:> Ezra Furman & The Harpoons: Halloween Snow
[From Banging Down The Doors; Out Now Minty Fresh Records]
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i am so with you! Halloween Snow is one of my favorites, too. I cannot get enough of this CD! The clincher was when I heard How Long Diana on a local college station (WRUR, Rochester, NY), went online, bought the cd and I love “I wanna be a sheep” and “God is a middle aged woman”.
love it love it love it !!!