DOWNLOAD: Harper Simon - "Shooting Star" (MP3)

For years I've been a strong believer that iTunes (not illegal downloading) killed the music industry. Too many bands had two-three radio singles on an LP/CD and 5+ tracks of filler.

With this in mind, I loved Harper Simon's quote: “The long playing album is not just ten songs thrown together randomly. It has an arc. It has a structure. It is the attempt to make ten songs that are all as good as each other, and fit together in a seamless whole. Long playing albums like Sgt Peppers, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Pet Sounds, Blonde On Blonde, Sticky Fingers -- these albums have helped define our culture. When I was making this record, I was very conscious of making a record that was an homage to the LP.”

Harper Simon, son of Paul Simon and Peggy Harper, just released his debut CD on iTunes (Vagrant/Tulsi) and physical copies are coming out on Oct. 13th. Harper's music falls mostly into the alt-country genre and it has sort of a M. Ward/Conor Oberst feel to it. The new disc was recorded with a wide array of musicians that range from all-star nashville session players to Petra Haden and Sean Lennon to Paul Simon.

The show at Mercury Lounge is an Early Show with doors at 8PM and show at 8:30PM. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 DOS.

Links:
Harper Simon's MySpace Profile