Photo by Pamela Garavano
If the old maxim about the Velvet Underground’s debut album is true–it didn’t sell many copies, but everyone that bought one probably started a band–then that might be doubly true for Big Star. The past few years have seen a renewed interest in the Memphis band, from box sets to documentaries, chronicling the band’s outsized influence on the Replacements, Wilco, R.E.M., and more.
Big Star is a north star for Brooklyn’s EZTV, a trio of old friends who formed on a lark. Bonding over their love for classic power pop, EZTV started putting flesh on frontman Ezra Tenenbaum’s stripped-down demos. A failed audition as Spiritualized’s backing band nudged them to make a go as a real band, and on July 10 they’ll release their debut Calling Out. It’s pretty much power pop catnip: sweet harmonies, chiming guitars, and rolling, inventive backbeats. “Trampoline” bounces as expected, simultaneously sunny and a little bit sad, just like their power pop forbears. They’re not reinventing any wheels, but damn does this sound good in the summer. Download “Trampoline” below.
–Art Levy
