Fuzzy

by Eric IannelliFuzzy walks a musical tightrope. Their sound balances on that thin line between soothing and sharp vocals, driving rock, and quirky pop. Frontwomen Chris Toppin and Hilken Mancini met in 1993, as co-workers at Newbury Street's Tower Records. Soon, two other Boston recruits -- drummer David Ryan (Lemonheads) and bassist Winston Braman (Come) -- joined, and the four-piece issued the Half a Cow EP. Fuzzy, the eponymous debut on Seed Records, appeared in 1994 and spawned the "Flashlight" single and accompanying video. Less aggression and more mainstream styling led to Electric Juices two years later; the promotional tour brought Fuzzy alongside notable Boston acts such as Juliana Hatfield, Belly, and Buffalo Tom. Despite the promising circumstances, a series of misfortunes forced the band into a holding pattern. An internal overhaul at TAG/Atlantic left Fuzzy without a label as soon as the tour ended. Then Ryan left to attend school. Nate Darden, just one in a series of temporary drummers, agreed to take a permanent spot in 1997. Nearly three years of songwriting and multiple producers culminated in Hurray for Everything, released on the die-hard indie label Catapult in 1999.