In a recent piece in The Guardian, our Oakland-based favorite Ezra Furman says firmly about his gender identity, “I am proud to exist in an ambiguous, undecided state.” Furman’s unabashed honesty about his gender fluidity and sexuality makes his most recent cover — “Androgynous” by the Replacements — that much more poignant.

The unadorned electric guitar that drives on in the background gives Furman’s reverb-addled vocals the perfect canvas to express a rough-around-the-edges sense of intimacy, one that perfectly matches the tone of Paul Westerberg’s 1984 gender revolution anthem. The urgency in his delivery of the line, “And today, the people dress the way that they please/The way they tried to do in the last centuries,” is a kick-to-the-gut reminder of the song’s undying relevancy in our culture. (Seriously, Furman’s vocal delivery will tug at your heart, in the best way possible.)

The cover will appear on the *exclusive* deluxe release of his latest record Perpetual Motion People, which will be out later this year. Take a listen below and be sure to check Furman with his backing band the Boy-Friends at their SF show in December.

Ezra Furman & the Boy-Friends, support TBA
Rickshaw Stop
December 6, 2015
8pm, $12