Ezra Furman and the Harpoons

I need to talk about this band for a second. Yes, this is the second time that I've mentioned them in my blog but, as explained in a previous blog, the first one was kind of a technological mishap. Anyway, on to my story ...

Ezra Furman and the Harpoons showed up in Nashville yesterday to play a show at The Basement with Nashville's own Harrison Hudson and Detroit trio The Hard Lessons. Harrison Hudson was great as usual and The Hard Lessons were a great surprise, but Ezra Furman - the man and the band - were just something else entirely.

I don't know if I'm saying that I believe that they're the next big thing. They really probably aren't. What they are is incredibly honest, catchy and energetic rock 'n roll music. The music itself is punk-influenced indie rock, complete with hand claps and gang vocals, with somewhat of a folk influence. Ezra Furman's voice is high and slightly whiny, but it's his onstage (and offstage) persona that really grabs you.

He's like that kid you befriended in third grade and every time you asked your mom if he could come over you had to give her that extra But, mom ... to make it happen. It's not that he ever broke anything, and he definitely said thank you. He's just barely oozing this frenetic energy, making wild claims and mischeivous. You can hear it in his music, but you only really get it if you see it happen in person.

Check out the track Take Off Your Sunglasses and get hooked. Or harpooned. Whatever.