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New York City has long been known as the melting pot of the world, and the New York-based band, Harper Blynn, is obviously a microcosm of that melting pot. Songwriters J. Blynn and Peter Harper, who previously performed together as Pete and J, have added new band members Sarab Singh and Dutchman Whynot. With the help of producer David Kahne, who also has a production credit with Paul McCartney, the quartet has released their debut album, Loneliest Generation, digitally—with a physical version coming in April.
The McCartney influence is evident throughout the album, and there are hints of Badfinger, The Raspberries, and Ryan Adams in the first three songs, “25 Years,” “This Is It,” and “Steal Your Love.” In fact, “Steal Your Love” is so uncannily McCartney/Badfinger that I found myself singing Badfinger’s first hit, “Come and Get It,” along with the song. It’s got that same melodic feel, that same joyous, delicious ‘60s pop sound.
“The Doubt,” the album’s fourth track, is my least favorite, a sparse ballad with minimal instrumentation. But that Beatles sound continues on the fifth track, “Loneliest Generation,” right down to the drumming.
In the remaining tracks, though, the CD takes a shift. The band has made its mark in New York City, and the final tracks sound like fellow New Yorkers, Simon and Garfunkel. The same weariness, wisdom, and worldliness that came from that brilliant duo in songs like “Sounds of Silence” and “Homeward Bound” are especially entrenched in track six, “All Pretenders,” and the final track, “It May Be Late.”
With the distinct differences of the sound of the first half compared to the second half of Harper Blynn’s Loneliest Generation, it’s almost as if you’d actually be getting two different CDs for the price of one. In today’s economy, that’s a bargain. In fact, it’s a steal. Buy it!
