Search - Ezra Furman & The Harpoons :: Banging Down the Doors

My New Favorite Band!

Henry J. Goldblum | Philadelphia, PA USA | 08/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you scour the blogs (and sadly, I do), a lot has been said about Ezra invoking Dylan or some amalgam of David Byrnes, Daniel Johnston, Violent Femmes and blahdy blah blah blah. And no doubt, he compares (and compares favorably, no less), but the moment you put aside his engaging voice and composition and start focusing on the lyrics, you'll cease to care. Why? Because this music is straight-up poetry, rip-opened raw and beautiful. And you can dance to it to boot! My favorites are "My Soul Has Escaped From My Body," "Hotel Room to Casablanca," and "Lydia Sherman." This has overtaken Animal Collective's Strawberry Jam as my favorite album of '07.

PS: My friend caught them at The Fire in Philadelphia, and word is out they put on a killer live show. Apparently Ezra is all awkward and endearing and their drummer is, and I quote, "Puerto Rico's best export since sugar cane.""

Music that washes through you

J. Garfinkel | Chicago, IL | 11/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The lyrics in these songs will change what you expect out of your music. Music should say something, and these songs all do. I can listen to "I Dreamed of Moses" and "Halloween Snow" for hours at a time and find new meaning every time through. Just incredible."