AUDIO: Harper Simon - "Shooting Star"

You may or may not know this about me, but I hate labels. When I was younger I always felt like Blockbuster (are they still around?) should have killed the idea of putting movies out based on genre, and just put it alphabetical. I mean, sometimes they would put movies in places that made no since. Like putting 28 Days Later in horror, when clearly it is a thriller. It is why I always complain about the term Indie. I hate the idea of anyone or anything being able to fit into a small box.

So this is why I throw around the term alt-country with a little hesitation. Bands like Wilco fit in this category, but I can easily call some of their early stuff psychedelic and clearly some of their music just straight up rocks. Harper Simon does initially fit in this category based on "Shooting Star." The single starts out with a slide guitar and his bluesy voice and lyrics are fantastic. They make me feel like I should be hearing it at a road side bar outside of Amarillo, Texas. But alas, Harper is getting heavy rotation on the likes of NPR, because it is easy to tell that he doesn't fit into a set genre. Harper's self-titled debut album is available on iTunes right now and everywhere on 10/13, but you can download "Shooting Star" here for free

MP3: Harper Simon - "Shooting Star"

Here are his upcoming tour dates:
10/14 – The Echo – LA
10/15 – Jimmy Kimmel Live! – LA
10/29 – World Café Live – Philadelphia
10/30 – Mercury Lounge – NYC
11/03 – Iron Horse Music Hall – Northampton, MA
11/04 – Café 939 – Boston, MA
11/06 – Puck – Doylestown, PA
11/07 – The Southern – Charlottesville, VA
11/08 – Jammin Java – Vienna, VA
11/11 – The Warhol – Pittsburgh, PA
11/12 – Magic Stick – Detroit, MI
11/17 – Hi Tone – Memphis, TN
11/20 – The Bishop – Bloomington, IN
11/21 – Rumba Café – Columbus, OH
11/22 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
11/24 – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN