Handsome Furs “Sing! Captain”

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The name “Bruce Springsteen” gets tossed around as a musical influence a lot these days. With growing numbers of North Americans beginning to consider themselves “working class,” it makes sense that the man’s ouevre is due for a reappreciation. While big name acts like the Killers have embraced every aspect of the E Street Band’s sound to the point of straight mimicry, it’s bands like Handsome Furs who are taking a more subtle and interesting approach. Frontman Dan Boeckner showed flirtations with the Boss with “This Heart’s On Fire” from Wolf Parade’s first LP, but with Handsome Furs, Boeckner and wife/collaborator Alexei Perry fully explore both the themes of much of Springsteen’s work (small town life and dead end existence, in particular) as well as some of the chord progressions. The band’s set at the Troubadour was typically excellent. Boeckner isn’t afraid to talk between songs, introducing album single “Dumb Animals” by saying the song was inspired by the unpleasant reality of having to hang out with creepy tweakers if you want to engage in the occasional smoking of meth. High marks to Boeckner for being honest about dabbling in a drug that pretty much no one thinks is “cool,” image be damned. Perry’s drum machine/keyboard work is what really sets their music apart from Boeckner’s work in Wolf Parade, and the Troubadour got the mix right: loud, loud, loud so that those deep bass kicks make the brain throb with electricity. Rumor has it the band may soon be utilizing a real live drummer, which sounds okay in theory, but I think they’re discounting the power of the machine.

— Patrick Newsom