Live Review: Ezra Furman & The Harpoons @ Schubas 8/25/08

The slight, exceedingly quirky, and often rambling young frontman may have appeared awkward in-between his songs, but Ezra Furman displayed all the confidence and swagger of a pro while playing them. As the final performance of Furman and his bands' month-long Schubas residency, the show, featuring almost all new material, was sold out. Not too shabby, considering that it was a Monday night that began sparsely with opener J-Roddy Walston, who delivered a raucous and revved-up piano-driven set to, unfortunately, only a handful of people.

But the night rightly belonged to Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, and served as the release show for their sophomore album, Inside The Human Body, played in order and in its entirety. It hits stores in October via local label Minty Fresh, but will receive a digital release in September and is already available at shows. The follow-up to their excellent, under-the-radar and critically acclaimed debut, Banging Down The Doors (also Minty Fresh), the new material showcases a tighter, more cohesive sound, which several bandmates said is “better” than its last. No doubt, the group had formed and recorded ramshackle for its debut, composed of  songs Furman wrote when he was still in high school, but that was part of its charm.

The driving force then and now remains Furman, his fervent, imaginative storytelling turning even the most mundane of jobs (“The Dishwasher”) into something poignant. Having just graduated from college, songs about the future populated the first part of the set, such as the rollicking “We Should Fight” and the thoughtful, catchy “The Stakes Are High.” Moving from ballads like “Weak Knees” to the jumping “Moon,” and from the punked-up “Big Deal," to the bluesy harmonica-buoyed “The Faceless Boy," the band members demonstrated impressive instrumental prowess with ease and sophistication beyond their young years. And Furman, whose voice recalls Gordon Gano’s, was impassioned with each turn of phrase.

Furman ended the night with riveting solo deliveries of “I Wanna Be A Sheep” and “I Dreamed Of Moses” from his debut. He displayed burgeoning talent on his unexpectedly compelling debut, and if his sophomore material is any indication he is poised for great, great things.

Related links:
Ezra Furman on MySpace
Andy Whitman on Music: A New D****?
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