Falling for Ezra Furman & The Harpoons started with the super 8 video-aesthetics of the enthusiastic dylanesk song Take Off Your Sunglasses But Bob Dylan is not the only reference for Ezra’s stirring vocals and The Harpoons barnstorming play. Traces from The Beatles, Lou Reed and a bit of the Daniel Johnston-spirit („let’s just do Walking The Cow first“) are interspersed throughout their oeuvre – not at all in an annoying rip-off way, but in an original and mind-expanding one. Anyway, when we meet Ezra, Job, Adam and Andrew on the day off after their well-loved show at the fm4-fest at Café Europa, they are in a good mood. After the Daniel Johnston-cover, they head for their own „Weak Knees“ and then come up with a third song, because „we don’t have much to do today“ as Ezra explains, „maybe you do&...

It feels like this was going to be the coldest night of an oh so freezing winter in Vienna. It’s the night of the annually fm4-fest , an always sold-out festival organised by the public radio station that comprises indoor as well as open air shows. “We are lucky not to play outside,” Thao says and adds smilingly, “we are more used to the climate in San Francisco.” Before their performance at the close-by festival venue Thao and her band member...

Howe Gelb sits in the backstage room of Porgy & Bess with a big grin. He has just finished soundcheck for his headline show at Blue Bird Festival and seems to be satisfied with how things are going. We didn’t really get through to him with our request to do a session before, but it looks like the right time to introduce the idea to him. And indeed, he likes it, but wants a piano. So we head out to find one and finally are able to eve...

It is no news that UK is a fruitful country for breeding young „classy“ indie-bands, who know how to write a perfect pop song. Everyday lyrics sung by a cultivated voice melt with staggered harmonies played by skilled instrumentalist to an inescapable catchiness. Worthy of mention is their early professionalism and general accomplishment. Their performance always sounds good. They have hardly ever been caught out of tune, even when doing an im...