Pete and J

Harper Blynn is classic pop reimagined. The band's instantly hummable music is remarkable not only for its breadth but also its intimacy, ranging from four-on-the-floor dance stompers to near-whispered pleas for understanding. In 2009, the Brooklyn quartet caught the ear of journeyman producer David Kahne (Paul McCartney, The Strokes), who signed on to produce their debut full-length, Loneliest Generation. Besides playing over 150 dates in 2010, the band also managed to release a self-produced eponymous EP that demonstrates the tremendous growth and confidence that a year on the road can provide. As inspiring as these recordings are, Harper Blynn effortlessly transcends them in concert, delivering three-part harmonies over a smartly-arranged blend of guitar, keyboards, bass and drums that is at once minimalistically modern and timelessly organic. In fact, the band’s musical proficiency and on-stage chemistry raise an uncomfortable question: “Where did all the real bands go?” We may never know for sure, but at least there’s one still standing: Harper Blynn.
-David Mead