Standing at the front of the stage last night at Mercury Lounge I turned around and all I could see is a a sea of girls and this is what I am thinking: Harper Blynn are a song on a TV show away from breaking big. They have powerful, gut wrenching pop rock, they have stage presense to burn, they have a Paul Simon and Art Garfunkle type vibe on stage only harder and sexier and they have the possession in their heart.
So Harper Blynn are one of our best local bands around and any caveats I have should start from their but they need to stop worrying about how they sound on stage. With all they have going for em, they should not attempt to replicate the terrific but intricate power pop album from late last year, The Loneliest Generation. Last night they played lots of the album to great effect and a new song “Every Impulse You Have Tells You To Shut Down” which was pretty awesome but Pete Harper is so busy on stage it gets unnerving.
Harper moves from keybs to acoustic guitar mid song and Pete and J are constantly twiddling and dithering trying to replicate a studio experience when they should relax and play rock music. Harper Blynn are the Steeley Dan of pop -they are finesse masters of the tick tock jigsaw puzzle of sound: a soulful machine made to give listeners the gasp of pleasure only great pop music can. But when Steelye Dan do it live they do it with a huge band on a large stage and in the confines of the Mercury Lounge it is kinda tough for Harper Blynn to replicate Loneliest Generation songs-it takes work to do something and what’s worse, they shouldn’t wanna be doing it at all.
Harper Blynn open with “Centrifugal Motion” -a wonderful song they muddy up nicely but soon after plays “It May Be Too Late” -a beautiful ballad that aches its way into your heart but coulda been held to mid point or bounced completely as it slows down the proceedings, lovely to listen to, tough to watch. And so it goes -a set both firm and soggy at the same time.
Pete Harper, who is whirl of motion behind the keyb, on the guitar, singing lead and back up, plays his heartthrob for the coeds despite (or because?) of a full black beard with no self-consciousness and a natural charisma. J Blynn on lead guitar with a blonde Afro, uses his falsetto very well and maybe getting to be a better singer now than on the album. The two together have a chemistry you can’t miss on stage and the rhythm section are tight and cool. But there is a herky jerkiness to the set.
OK, that’s it for caveats. Harper Blynn know what they are doing. On the the last two songs the band relaxes and blows through them and the set ignites proving without a doubt if they wanted to they could play a headstrong burst of rock. The last song “25 Years” with J’s lovely falsetto leading you on is everything I had hoped from this concert and more. Nothing to show? Just wait, folks.