Harper
Harper is Matthew Broadbent (Vocals /Rhythm Guitar), Daniel Bhattacharya (Lead Guitar), Toby Thacker (Drums) and Jamie Simpson (Bass) an alt rock band from East London in England.
Harper
Rooted in influences from the ’70s heavy metal era and The Who, Harper have updated the style with a stronger flavour of Blues and a twist of lyrics which explore the loneliness in a world that judges people through vagaries of vicarious association. Delightful bass rumbles can be found testing the sub-woofer and as you well know bands who use the lower registers often pique my interest.
It is always a testament of confidence when an outfit, who could deliver their content at full bore volume, settle on a mix which plays across all instruments and Harper is able to generate far more feel by their more considered approach which makes the music immediately more expressive and interesting.
If I have one criticism it is that they are taking it all a bit slowly as the abilities lie within the band to make more music available and play more often. From that I get the impression there maybe some degree of searching for the ‘perfect definition’ that is going on within the band at present and I for one would like to hear more of the band and less of the ‘perfect track’, but you know that is always my position anyway.
Not attempting to recreate the wheel the quartet take established definitions and layer a currency that works extremely well. With less than a handful of songs to hear on recording and less than a year in existence Harper have chosen a representative example of three which they have packaged in to an EP – Drawing Blood Lines – to showcase where they are heading, though I was of course intrigued by the one track they left off – Plastic Dolls – which was their first launch to the world back at the end of last year.
Rarely as they currently play, live, my advice, if they are heading your way, take a trip as Harper have much to say and they say it well.
Harper – Heavy Like Thunder from Harper on Vimeo.
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