Ezra Furman

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Ezra Furman
Furman in 2017
Furman in 2017
Background information
Born (1986-09-05) September 5, 1986 (age 37)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals, harmonica
Years active2006–present
LabelsBar/None Records
Bella Union
Websitewww.ezrafurman.com

Ezra Furman (born September 5, 1986) is an American musician and songwriter.

Furman was the lead singer and guitarist of Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, formed in 2006, which ended with Mysterious Power (2011). Her subsequent work has included the albums Day of the Dog (2013), Perpetual Motion People (2015), Transangelic Exodus (2018), and All of Us Flames (2022), as well as parts of the soundtrack for all four seasons of the Netflix series Sex Education.

Career[edit]

Ezra Furman and the Harpoons[edit]

Main article: Ezra Furman and the Harpoons

Ezra Furman and the Harpoons were a four-piece rock band active between 2006 and 2011. The band consisted of Ezra Furman (vocals, guitar), Job Mukkada (bass guitar), Drew "Adam" Abrutyn (drums), and Andrew Langer (guitar). They formed at Tufts University in 2006. They released four albums: the self-released Beat Beat Beat (2006), followed by Banging Down the Doors (2007), Inside the Human Body (2008) and Mysterious Power (2011). The group broke up in 2011, and Furman began touring as a solo artist.[5] After their contract with Minty Fresh Records expired, the band released a self-produced compilation album in 2009, Moon Face: Bootlegs and Road Recordings 2006–2009, which included live recordings and some of Furman's solo work.

The Year of No Returning[edit]

Ezra Furman and the Visions
Also known asEzra Furman and the Boyfriends
GenresIndie rock, psychedelic rock
Years active2012–present
LabelsBar/None Records
Bella Union
MembersEzra Furman
Jorgen Jorgensen
Ben Joseph
Sam Durkes
Tim Sandusky

After touring in support of the album Mysterious Power, Furman recorded a solo album, entitled The Year of No Returning, without a label. Furman raised money through Kickstarter to fund the recording and self-release of the album.[6] The album was recorded at Studio Ballistico, located at the time in the attic of the house Furman was living in, and produced by Tim Sandusky, who owned both the house and the studio.[7] The album was released in February 2012. At the end of the year, Furman signed to Bar/None Records, who re-released The Year of No Returning in the summer of 2013.

The touring band Ezra Furman and the Boy-Friends formed in spring of 2012, and toured in support of The Year of No Returning. The band consisted of Jorgen Jorgensen (bass), Ben Joseph (keyboard, guitar), and Sam Durkes (drums). Tim Sandusky (saxophone) joined in 2013.

Day of the Dog[edit]

Furman released Day of the Dog in October 2013, also produced by Tim Sandusky, recorded at Studio Ballistico and released through Bar/None Records.[8] This album got Furman notable press in the UK, receiving a 5/5 review in The Guardian by Michael Hann: "Ezra Furman has made an album of classicist rock'n'roll that never feels like an exercise, but a living, breathing piece of self expression",[9] and an 8/10 review in NME: "A bratty, ragged take on New York Dolls, Spector-era Ramones and E Street Band carnival rock. An unexpected gem."[10]

The band toured the UK in 2014 and were met with positive press. "The punk-fired rock'n'roller isn't too cool to be touched by a richly deserved rave reception", wrote Malcolm Jack for The Guardian, giving the show a five-star review.[11] The tour finished in the autumn with a sold-out gig at Scala in London in September 2014.

Perpetual Motion People[edit]

Furman in 2018

In early 2015, Furman signed to Bella Union[12] and on April 27, announced that a new album, Perpetual Motion People, would be released on July 6 in the UK and Europe, and on July 10 in the US.[13] Aided by positive critical reviews, Perpetual Motion People peaked in the UK charts on its entry week at number 23. A series of concerts in Europe and the US took place to coordinate with the release of the album.

In 2016, Furman released the EP Big Fugitive Life, saying it felt like the "end of a chapter, musically" and calling the collection a "group of our favourite orphaned songs", four of which missed out on inclusion on Perpetual Motion People, and two which came from the time of The Year of No Returning.[14]

In September 2017, Furman's social media posts indicated that the Boy-Friends, active since 2012, had been renamed or reformed as the Visions.[15] There was no change made to the line-up of Ben Joseph, Jorgen Jorgensen, Sam Durkes, and Tim Sandusky.[16]

Transangelic Exodus[edit]

Transangelic Exodus, Furman's seventh album, was released February 9, 2018.[17] The album follows a narrative of Furman and an angel on the road, running away from an oppressive government.[18] The same year, 33⅓ published a book by Furman about Lou Reed's album Transformer.[19]

Twelve Nudes[edit]

Furman's eighth album, Twelve Nudes, was released August 30, 2019. The album was inspired by her anger at the perceived injustices of the Trump administration and late capitalism, as well as her Jewish and transgender identities.[20] She recruited John Congleton as producer for the album.[21]

All of Us Flames[edit]

Furman in 2023

Furman released her ninth album, All of Us Flames, also produced by Congleton, in 2022.[21] Its themes and topics included gender envy, also drawing connections between transgender oppression and Jewish exile. Pitchfork wrote that the album "feels like the most complete picture yet of Ezra Furman as a songwriter: genres fluidly co-existing with one another, projecting a fearless image while struggling with her own internal fearfulness," and compared parts of the album to Bruce Springsteen, Future Islands and Perfume Genius.[21] NME gave the album three stars, writing that it felt "a little heavy and dragging," but that "where it works best is that clear marriage of anger and aspiration, interwoven with Furman’s melodic drawl, musical tenderness and reverb."[22]

In 2023, Furman announced that she would be taking a hiatus from touring, citing "a popular explosion of transphobia", "increasingly corporate-owned music venues", "COVID-19" and "the demands of motherhood" that had led to "pressure and exhaustion" upon her.[5] She released Sex Education: Songs from Season 4, an EP of three songs made specifically for the fourth and final season of Sex Education, her music having been featured in every season of the show.[23][24]

Personal life[edit]

Furman is Jewish.[25][26] Her father is from a Jewish family, and her mother converted to Judaism.[27]

Furman plans to become a rabbi, and starting in late 2021, is attending the rabbinical school of Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts.[28]

Furman is bisexual,[29] and uses she/her and they/them pronouns.[30] She came out as a transgender woman in late April 2021.[31][32] Prior to this, she identified as genderqueer.[33]

Furman has three siblings, and has a child. Furman resides in Somerville, MA.[32][34] Her younger brother Jonah was the lead singer and bassist of the Boston-based rock band Krill, which broke up in 2015.[35] Their elder brother Noah is a visual artist who designed the cover of the Harpoons album Banging Down the Doors.

Discography[edit]

Albums[edit]

Ezra Furman and the Harpoons[edit]

Solo[edit]

Extended plays[edit]

Singles[edit]

  • "My Zero"/"Caroline Jones" (2013)
  • "Restless Year" (2015)
  • "Lousy Connection" (2015)[38]
  • "Driving Down to LA" (2017)
  • "Unbelievers" (2018)
  • "Calm Down aka I Should Not Be Alone" (2019)
  • "Forever in Sunset" (2022)[39]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Beaumont, Mark (February 7, 2018). "Ezra Furman - 'Transangelic Exodus' Album Review". NME.
  2. ^ Hann, Michael (September 11, 2014). "Ezra Furman on outcasts, Chuck Berry and Judaism". Theguardian.com.
  3. ^ "Ezra Furman streams egg-cellent new video for 'Lousy Connection'". DIY. August 24, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Ezra Furman | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links". AllMusic.
  5. ^ a b Dunworth, Liberty (August 16, 2023). "Ezra Furman announces touring hiatus: "Any sort of touring is effing difficult"". NME. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  6. ^ Kickstarter, "Ezra Furman's Kickstarter" July 11, 2007. Retrieved April 28, 2015
  7. ^ Furman, Ezra. Interview by Frances Capell "New Year", San Francisco Bay Guardian, February 9, 2012.
  8. ^ Bar/None Records. "Ezra Furman", retrieved August 3, 2014.
  9. ^ Hann, Michael (December 5, 2013). "Ezra Furman: Day of the Dog – review". The Guardian. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  10. ^ Stubbs, Dan (November 8, 2013). "Ezra Furman - Day Of The Dog". NME. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  11. ^ Jack, Malcolm (February 13, 2014). "Ezra Furman – review". The Guardian. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  12. ^ "Ezra Furman signs to Bella Union". bellaunion.com. March 3, 2015. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  13. ^ "Ezra Furman announces new album, Perpetual Motion People, shares "Lousy Connection"". Consequence of Sound. April 27, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  14. ^ "EZRA FURMAN announces 'Big Fugitive Life' EP". Bella Union. June 28, 2016. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  15. ^ "RIP The Boy-Friends 2012–2017". Facebook.com. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  16. ^ "Ezra Furman announces new album "Perpetual Motion People"". Bella Union. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2017. The 2015 line-up of The Boy-Friends seems to contain the same members
  17. ^ Geslani, Michelle (October 23, 2017). "Ezra Furman announces new album, Transangelic Exodus, unveils "Love You So Bad": Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  18. ^ Mackay, Emily (February 11, 2018). "Ezra Furman: Transangelic Exodus review – an adrenaline-jolted allegory". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 15, 2018. ...Furman and his celestial lover go on the run from an oppressive government..
  19. ^ Korber, Kevin (July 15, 2019). "33 1/3: Transformer: By Ezra Furman". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  20. ^ "Ezra Furman – Twelve Nudes review: His most urgent and cathartic record to date". The Independent. August 30, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  21. ^ a b c "Ezra Furman: All of Us Flames". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  22. ^ Kambasha, Michelle (August 26, 2022). "Ezra Furman – 'All Of Us Flames' review: anger, aspiration and an unflinching attitude". NME. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  23. ^ "Ezra Furman Shares New Songs From Sex Education's Final Season". Pitchfork. September 21, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  24. ^ Grow, Kory (September 21, 2023). "Ezra Furman Sends Off 'Sex Education' With Three Moving New Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  25. ^ "How could you deny me: Ezra Furman". The Demented Goddess. December 11, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  26. ^ Goldfine, Jael (January 16, 2020). "Ezra Furman Is Angry. Aren't You?". Papermag.com. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  27. ^ "Ezra Furman on outcasts, Chuck Berry and Judaism | Music". The Guardian. September 24, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  28. ^ "Ezra Furman has sung about God in her indie rock. Now she's going to rabbinical school". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  29. ^ Furman, Ezra (July 3, 2015). "Pretty punk rock: how Ezra Furman found freedom in gender fluidity". The Guardian. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  30. ^ Furman, Ezra. "Ezra Furman". Twitter. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  31. ^ "Ezra Furman Comes Out as a Transgender Woman". Pitchfork. April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  32. ^ a b Furman, Ezra [@ezra.furman.visions] (April 21, 2021). "I wanted to share with everyone that I am a trans woman, and also that I am a mom and have been for a while now (like 2+ years)" – via Instagram.
  33. ^ "Meet Ezra Furman: Devout Jew, Genderqueer Role Model and Damn Good Singer-Songwriter". PAPER. August 10, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  34. ^ Redfern, Mark (February 20, 2017). "2016 Artist Survey: Ezra Furman". Under The Radar Magazine. Retrieved March 4, 2017. I was one of four kids.
  35. ^ Grant, Sarah (February 29, 2016). "Between Two Furmans: Indie According to Brothers Ezra and Jonah". Village Voice. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  36. ^ Blais-Billie, Braudie (May 21, 2019). "Ezra Furman Announces New Album Twelve Nudes, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  37. ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (May 10, 2022). "Ezra Furman Announces New Album All of Us Flames, Shares Video for New Song: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  38. ^ Cummings, Bill (May 1, 2015). "Track Of The Day #680: Ezra Furman – Lousy Connection". Godisinthetvzine.co.uk. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  39. ^ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations". AllAccess. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022.
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