There is no way to describe the anticipation that built up before Harper's Jar released their debut record. The band had already left an incredible mark on the Twin Cities DIY/DIT community with the Paperhouse that could be felt everywhere. Almost every conversation about local music over the last few months has somehow pointed to  Thank You Ancestor Finger . I was even invited to attend a show by another band on the bill just so I could see what they described as "one of the best bands in Minneapolis." That band, of course, was Harper's Jar. Like everyone else, I'd listened to Harper's Jar debut EP Ode to a Luna Moth  and was instantly transfixed with the band's blend of brooding '80s alt-rock and the cutting side of '90s grunge. When the record's first single "Dandy Golden Blue" dropped last November, I was beyond excited to see what was to come next.  With all that momentum behind them, the trio of Devin Ware, Alex Dunn, ...

Normally, you expect a Harper's Jar song to tear you apart. The band's new single "when you're without me" makes you never want to be apart. Scorched earth guitars and howling passion are substituted with dedication, yearning, and pure beauty. "when you're without me" has my favorite chord progression of the year. From the song's first second, the interplay of guitar and bass dances an elegant ballet, in spiritual sync but moving soloistically. The vocals are delicate and melodious; they invoke an undying love with tender words. The chorus is screamed from a place of control, out of the need to rise above the white noise of existence and to assert true affection. Harper's Jar is a consoling friend, a kind lover, a burst of light through the dark clouds bearing down from above. Any dissonance is resolved with simmering peace. Whether that peace comes immediately or not doesn't matter — it's guaranteed. "when you're wit...

Noted cow band Harper's Jar has been one of the Twin Cities' most revered and most mysterious bands of the last few years. Despite all the (deserved) attention, they still haven't released a full-length record. That is about to change. Today, we're happy to (sort of) premiere the second single off the debut record from Harper's Jar. "home is a roach motel" keeps things mostly within their wheelhouse, but fortunately, that is one of the best wheelhouses known to man. In an interview with Radio K, the band said that this song is the one that they're most proud of, and it shows. While the overall palette may be similar, it subtly reinvents the expectations fans/listeners may have built up over years of relentless gig-attendance. It lives up to the more colorful, more flavorful sonic universe the band promised. This sounds like a song that will inspire the next generation of DIY punks to start their own bands and flourish in their own realms of nois...

Harper's Jar has released the first single their long-awaited debut album "Dandy Golden Blue." This song is the band's first release following their EP Ode to a Luna Moth, which was released in November of 2017. To put it lightly, "Dandy Golden Blue" absolutely shreds. The trio combines the best elements of jangly power pop with punk rock breakdowns and frantic noise freakouts. Harper's Jar makes these gigantic leaps in dynamics where they explode from a near whisper to a furious roar. Like we mentioned when a live video of the band playing this song was put online , "Dandy Golden Blue" almost demands you to move. The album's title has not been announced yet, and no release date has been given at this time. So all we have is this single to tide us over. You can listen to (and purchase) "Dandy Golden Blue" by Harper's Jar by clicking the link below. Dandy Golden Blue by Harper's Jar

This photo is taken from the Harper's Jar Facebook page.  Minneapolis punk trio Harper's Jar has shared a new song from an upcoming full-length release. "Dandy Golden Blue" features all the earmarks that make it a Harper's Jar track. It's full of moody punk attitude with a healthy respect for the shout-along chorus.  Something I did not expect but willingly welcomed is the breakdowns during the bridge. This is a track that demands the listener to move.  The live video for the "Dandy Golden Blue" was recorded during a show the band did at the 7th Street Entry in early January. Along with the video, Harper's Jar has announced they will be releasing a full-length album. This record will be the follow up to the 2017 EP Ode to a Luna Moth.  You can read our review of here .  You can watch the live video for "Dandy Golden Blue" below. 

After two weeks of not covering Xenu's gift to music, this column is back talking about some good old punk music. This week, we are going to look at the incendiary 2017 release  Ode to a Luna Moth  from the Minneapolis punk trio, Harper's Jar. This EP is an 11-minute free fall into explosive punk with enough pop elements to make it dangerous. Ode to a Luna Moth's title track kicks off the EP with a guitar riff reminiscent of Dick Dale's "Miserlou." The down picked guitar riff creates tension that ebbs and flows as the track progresses.  Vocalist and guitarist Devin Ware sings much of the verses through a clenched jaw but finally lets loose in the last half of the track. Harper's Jar really focuses on the dynamics of this EP, but it isn't the typical loud quiet loud that many punk and alt-rock bands use. This band pushes themselves up to the line where things get blurry. It is like when you turn a stereo up to the point where music doesn't...