Ezra Furman to Soundtrack the Rebellion with Album Twelve Nudes, On Tour Now
Photo Credit: Jessica Lehrman
Ezra Furman has been primarily known within alternative and indie realms up until now, yet with his latest album Twelve Nudes the soundscape has changed. “This is our punk record,” Furman says. Each song holds onto the uniqueness of individual sounds while coming together to form a fiery and spiritual LP. Twelve Nudes is his ninth album to date.
The album starts out strong with lead single “Calm Down.” Catchy, with an upbeat energy, the lyrics scream desperation. It begins with a low order of “get ‘em” before continually amping up until the end, culminating with Furman screaming “calm down” accompanied by the hum of background singers. The song is un-curated emotion and punk.
“Evening Prayer” is the band’s rallying cry, according to Furman. “We music fans go to shows for transcendence. It’s like being called to prayer.” The lyrics lament Furman’s mistakes, then offers a call to action for the emerging generations that have fire in their bloodstream. The beat surges with an invigorating energy throughout the song. “Evening Prayer” seeks to overthrow the oppression and hatred the world has crumbled down to.
Full of angry sorrow and the feeling of loss, “What Can You Do But Rock n’ Roll” is a track of resilience. Furman sings confidently, “You got no place you can go, You can't go out, you can't stay home, You got a little bit of soul.” When the world is crashing down, there is little left to do but fight back kicking and screaming.
Originating from previous album Perpetual Motion People, “Restless Year” is electric, with a tune impossible to forget and lyrics that describe feelings of not belonging and restlessness. However, the difference between the two albums is starkly apparent. While there is an obvious shift in Twelve Nudes as a punk record, the band also experienced some changes when making the album. Furman explains, “We made it in Oakland, quickly. We drank and smoked. Then we made the loud parts louder. I hurt my voice screaming. This was back in 2018, when things were bad in the world. The songs are naked with nothing to hide.”
Twelve Nudes is raw, unfiltered, and full of emotion. This album is Furman bleeding his anger, fear, desperation, and openness. Yet, there is also the theme of finding positivity in negativity. Twelve Nudes screams of these negative feelings, but it never stays in the dark. It is full of hope and the willingness to fight back, to rebel.
While the world at large may be crumbling, Furman’s professional life is skyrocketing. He created the soundtrack to Netflix special Sex Education in January and poured his heart into the 331/3 book on Lou Reed’s album Transformer, not to mention his albums are boasting with positive reviews.
Be sure to catch Ezra Furman on his upcoming tour through Europe in November and his North American dates this month.
Tour Dates
10 Sept | Montreal
11 Sept | Cambridge
12 Sept | New York
15 Sept | Philadelphia
16 Sept | Washington
11 Nov | Glasgow
12 Nov | Manchester
13 Nov | Bristol
14 Nov | London
16 Nov | Koln
17 Nov | Berlin
19 Nov | Paris
20 Nov | Brussels
21 Nov | Amsterdam
23 Nov | Hamburg
24 Nov | Copenhagen
25 Nov | Goteborg
26 Nov | Stockholm
