The Comfies
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The Comfies

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Press


"Ben Harper"

"honed pop rock recalling the best of 70s and 80s power pop invasion with the warmth and sincerity of modern indie rock." -NashvilleZine.com

- nashvilleZine.com


"The Comfies"

"Something like the Posies with a dash of Superdrag's saccharine harmonies, Britpop sensibility and firm grasp of the hook." -The Nashville Scene - The Nashville Scene


"A Collection of Reviews"

"For their first shot as a new band, The Comfies surpass all expectations"- The Daily Trojan (Los Angeles)

"The Comfies come across as both able-bodied and smart, and in its best moments, Close to Me delivers pop that feels cozily at home"- The Nashville Scene

"The Comfies are just what their name applies, they are comfortable and after a long awful day... The Comfies are the perfect remedy. Mixing a lot of different styles to make a toasty pop record"- ComfortComes.com

"It's in this kind of adventurous songwriting that the band seem worthy of their forebears, and their musicianship—tight and competent—is up to the challenge"- The Nashville Scene

"The album provides a much-needed fresh approach and interesting spins on the standard "OC Mix" of pop-indie-rock. Though the EP is only seven songs, each song is distinct and almost infectious"- Student Life (St. Louis)

"The Comfies show a remarkable knack for creating dryly layered and very catchy recordings reminiscent of the '70s hit factory style"- All the Rage (Nashville)

"Tinkling harmonies and rhythms poised for hand-clapping audience participation propel the recording, which earned the 88th spot on CMJ’s music chart in its second week of release" - Illinois Entertainer

"Rarely does a new band put together a record that garners recognition, but this band does it without breaking a sweat"- Daily Trogan (Los Angeles)

"In some ways, Close is an '00s take on the '80s' take on the '60s—The Comfies are cooking over fires left burning by bands like The Posies or Velvet Crush, with a dash of Bowie and big sprigs of Mersey. But it's no myopic nostalgia act: they throw in anachronisms like human beatbox, fat synthesizers and even a Weezeresque pop-punk interlude, while sewing their source materials into flashier patterns. And with its nonstop carousel of instrument/vocal overdubs, Close serves notice that The Comfies are willing to try every trick in the book. And they have a lot of books"- The Nashville Scene

"A true EP of the Year candidate"- Absolute Powerpop

"...An accomplished-sounding debut from a band whose arrangements are well thought out, and who obviously enjoy playing hopscotch (or maybe it's Boggle) with their influences"- The Nashville Scene

"There’s a thin red line between contrived and catchy, and The Comfies walk all so nimbly on the catchy side all the way through this fantastic debut"- Sound the Sirens Magazine

"This debut EP combines the crunching guitars of Superdrag and Nada Surf, while also incorporating stop-on-a-dime mood changes a la Ted Leo. And when a release's only downfall is that it's a seven-track EP, not a full-length record, that's never a bad thing" - www.Beepcentral.com (Chicago)

"Do The Comfies deserve to live in the same category as those indie darlings that earned their place with a solid career of good releases? If this EP is any indication, the answer is a resounding yes. They’re darn talented, and show an immense amount of tact with writing good, catchy tunes. With the penchant that they show for great pop songwriting on this release, I could definitely see this one on quite a few music aficionados iPods very soon, as well as happily at home as a dark horse on some year-end best-of lists" - Sound the Sirens Magazine

"The EP opens with its title track, a catchy but not gimmicky song, which immediately seems to hint that the Comfies just might follow through on their promises" - www.The-Standard.org (Missouri)

"I love all of the energy that is put forth in this; it will immediately make you want to attempt to sing-a-long regardless of whether or not you even know a single line. Harper's vocals and the band's undeniable charm are more then an enjoyable experience. Use this to lighten your day"- Side One Track One (Texas)

"Hits all the right notes"- The Daily Trojan (Los Angeles)

"The Comfies maintain an accessible, enjoyable tone carried by [an] overt sense of pop joy"- Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill)

"The Comfies are the brainchild of Benjamin Adam Harper, a wildly diverse songwriter with 40-year-old influences, 20-year-old techniques and a contemporary mindset. Close to Me piles up hooky references to avowed influences like the elemental pop of The Beatles and the baroque Pop of The Zombies, which comes out like a hybridization of The Smithereens and Velvet Crush. From the 80's Rock snap and swing of the title track to the Honky Dory/Bowie-esque turn on "That's What She Gets" to the Kinks jaunt of "Understanding 23" to the haunting and all-too brief finale of "Dear Miss Anderson", The Comfies show a talent for absorbing and exuding their influences rather than displaying them like cheap goods in a sidewalk bazaar. Hopefully there's a full-lenght CD lurking in the wings somewhere"- CityBeat (Cincinnati)

"7 mini-CD without one mediocre track, in fact, this more than all good. Reminds us of Nada Surf, Sloan, Superdrag, Brendon Benson and New Pornographers. Mighty good company, - The Comfies


Discography

Close To Me EP

Photos

Bio

The Comfies shine amongst Nashville's outstanding current pop rock company, affixing the retro magnetism of 60's and 70's rock to a range of contemporary influences from Ben Folds and Beck to The Posies and Superdrag. With an impressive ear for the irresistible lingering melody bestowed upon him from the cassette tapes of the greats-- Bowie, The Beatles, Motown, Billy Joel, The Zombies-- frontman Ben Harper seeks to resurrect the spirit of these classics on 21st century airwaves and iPods. Ben grew up just outside of Washington D.C., discovered the guitar and the song as a teen, then came to Nashville where he soon found himself touring America and Europe as the bassist for acclaimed Doghouse Records recording artists Feable Weiner.

But Ben's own catalogue, a pastiche of the lingering melodies of his youth and today's independent heroes, was asking to be let out. For this, he called upon local legends and dear friends who were up to the task: bassist Nathan Hansen (Bang Bang Bang), drummer Sam Smith (Lifeboy, Character), and Raf Cevallos (The Pink Spiders). Musically multilingual, the boys could stack rich harmonies, balance homage with humility, and look great in earth tones. Their hope: To remind as many as possible of that infectious crush you get on a great song, to remain sharp musically and inquisitive lyrically, and to synergize the musics of their age and of ages before into something timeless.