Hollis Brown

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UNDER-APPRECIATED ROCK BAND OF THE MONTH FOR MAY 2013:  HOLLIS BROWN

 

 

(New full-length album by Hollis Brown, this month’s Under-Appreciated Rock Band, released on March 5, 2013 on Alive Records

 

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This month’s Under-Appreciated Rock BandHOLLIS BROWN is not a person, but the name of a band.  It is taken from the name of a Bob Dylan song, “Ballad of Hollis Brown”. 

 

Mike Montali, lead singer of Hollis Brown has stated:  “Well, I guess naming our band after one of his [Bob Dylan’s] songs is kind of like wearing your heart on your sleeve.  I personally think he’s the greatest artist of the 20th century.  It’s strange because although we are big fans, we also are influenced by so many other things that we don’t want to get pigeonholed as folk rock.  We don’t really cover much of his music, I think because we have the name Hollis Brown, so we feel like to do his music would be a bit too much.” 

 

Ballad of Hollis Brown is on Dylan’s third album, The Times They Are A-Changin’.  

 

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(Debut self-titled album, Hollis Brown by this month’s UARBHollis Brown, released in 2009 on Vibe Theory Records

 

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(Single called “Cold City” by this month’s UARBHollis Brown, released in 2012 on Band Camp Records)  

 

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(EP called Nothing and the Famous No One by this month’s UARBHollis Brown, released in 2012 on Band Camp Records)    

 

Suzy Shaw wrote me in an email recently that Hollis Brown is her personal favorite among all of the bands that Bomp! Records has worked with over nearly 40 years.  And it is easy to see why:  Their music is remarkably bright and sunny while still being roots music and infused with the blues.  Hollis Brown are true professionals also; the songwriting is first-rate, and the performances simply shine.  (Wow, I just gave a lot of references to “light”, didn’t I!).  I guess you can tell that I am a real fan of these guys as well. 

 

If I had to succinctly characterize the current musical period – having just watched the first hour of the 2013 Billboard Music Awards – I would use the phrase “overdoing it”.  American Idol and the other television singing contests encourage contestants to go all out in their performances, and that attitude has suffused much of today’s music.  On at least one occasion, I have heard one of the renowned producers who craft many of today’s hit songs (I forget who exactly) piece one together in a few minutes on National Public Radio during an interview, so studio wizardry has also become available to just about anyone – and it is all too tempting to take that too far.  Refreshingly, Hollis Brown holds back in this regard; as Steve Leggett of Allmusic puts it in their rave review of their album Ride on the Train:  “[The album has] a sharp, taut sound that only includes what is necessary to put the song over. . . .  This is a band with a bright future.”  

 

The bandmembers are native New Yorkers and originally included Mike Montali (vocals and guitar), Jon Bonilla (guitar), Mike Wosczyk (bass), and Mike Graves (drums and percussion).  Their first release is an eponymous album, Hollis Brown that came out on Vibe Theory Records at the beginning of 2009.  In 2012, the band released a couple of singles and an EP, Nothing and the Famous No One; and then their new album, Ride on the Train (with Dillon Devito replacing Mike Wosczyk on bass) was released on Alive Records this year.  For some odd reason, I have seen every all three of these records described as their “debut” album. 

 

The promotional material on the band by Alive Records lays out their basic template:  “Taking cues from classic pop, rock ’n’ roll, and AmericanaHollis Brown combines raw rock sensibilities with sweet melodies and heartfelt lyrics to create a rich, warm sound that can fill any room. . . .  You’d be hard-pressed to find a Beatles song these boys don’t know by heart, and you can hear it in the music. Classic rock with a New York state of mind, Hollis Brown is a throwback to an era when music felt fresh, songwriting was revered, and performances routinely inspired.” 

  

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(Single called “The Fly” by this month’s UARBHollis Brown, released in 2012 on Band Camp Records) 

 

Frankly, I am a little exhausted after what I have already written, and I don’t at all mean to give Hollis Brown short shrift in this post.  But before I go, let me illustrate their versatility by mentioning their early 2012 single, “The Fly” that was recorded with D.M.C., the rap pioneer who was one-half of Run-D.M.C..  

 

You can learn more about the band and get links to songs on their website – hollisbrown.com/ – and their Facebook page – www.facebook.com/hollisbrownmusic .  Information on some of their music from last year is also available on the Band Camp Records website, hollisbrownmusic.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-the-famous-no-one .  That label also shows a band called Biloxi that I will have to check out; as far as I know, they are not from around here. 

 

(May 2013)

 

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Items:     Hollis Brown 

 

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FLASHBACK:  The Under Appreciated Rock Band of the Month for May 2013 – HOLLIS BROWN 

 

 

 

The years are sure flying by; it seems like I just wrote the article about this Alive Records artist.  Normally I talk about new bands in January, but I liked these guys so much that I brought ’em in early.  The message of appreciation by Hollis Brown for my picking them as a UARB comes up highest of any of my stuff on a Google search.  

 

Since then, I have gotten an acclaimed album, Hollis Brown Gets Loaded that is a cover of every song (but played in reverse order) on the Velvet Underground album, Loaded, including classics like Sweet Jane, “Rock & Roll”, and “Head Held High”.  The album was released in honor of Record Store Day 2014.  A fourth album came out this year called 3 Shots

 

An honest-to-God music video of the opening track on their Alive Records album, “Ride on the Train” can be seen on YouTube at:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GlNKST3_Rc  .  Hollis Brown’s great cover of the Lou Reed song “Sweet Jane (audio only) as taken from Hollis Brown Gets Loaded is available at:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=duP9OECMyWs .  Another music video of “Nightfall” that mostly features a female model posing, dancing and stretching in front of Paris street scenes like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre is at:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAXMTZi0w34 . 

 

(May 2015)

 

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Here is the roster of the UARB’s of the past year (2012-2013); none are individual artists, and there has been a lot of psychedelia and just one punk rock band.  There is never any plan; that’s just how it worked out this time. 
 
Dec. 2012 – THE INVISIBLE EYES2000’s garage/psychedelic rock band 
 
Jan. 2013 – THE SKYWALKERS2010’s Dutch psychedelic rock band 
 
Feb. 2013 – LINK PROTRUDI AND THE JAYMEN1980’s retro instrumental rock band 
 
Mar. 2013 – THE GILES BROTHERS1960’s-1970’s British duo in numerous bands including King Crimson 
 
Apr. 2013 – LES SINNERS1960’s-1970’s French Canadian garage rock band 
 
May 2013 – HOLLIS BROWN2010’s roots rock band 
 
Jun. 2013 – FUR, 1980’s punk rock band 
 
Jul. 2013 – THE KLUBS1960’s British mod rock band 
 
Aug. 2013 – SILVERBIRD1970’s Native American soft rock band 
 
Sep. 2013 – BLAIR 15231990’s British psychedelic rock band 
 
Oct. 2013 – MUSIC EMPORIUM1960’s psychedelic rock band 
 
Nov. 2013 – CHIMERA1960’s British psychedelic rock band 
 
(Year 4 Review)
 
Last edited: March 22, 2021