New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Company) Anchored in the here and now, yet drawing on an inexhaustible pool of 60's and 70's influences, Hollis Brown have grown into one of the most convincing current young US rock acts since their formation in 2009. Now, following hot on the heels of their hugely successful US Tour as special guests to Counting Crows, they bring their phenomenal live show to the UK.
The band convey a deep appreciation and knowledge of the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Neil Young, The Band, Tom Petty,
Rolling Stones and The Kinks. As a result, the new album '3 Shots' feels like a classic, and this first single 'Sweet Tooth' is a fine example of this. It is in fact their 4th full-length album, but the first to be released in
Europe on Blue Rose Records. The previous albums have attracted copious critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, Spin and American Songwriter.
"I wanted each song on the album to have a unique voice and make a complete statement," singer/guitarist Mike Montali asserts. "So instead of just writing about myself, I made an effort to see the world through other people's perspectives.
Named after an early
Bob Dylan song (The Ballad Of Hollis Brown), school friends Mike Montali and Jon Bonilla founded this band as a quartet in Queens, NY. The lineup now consists of both founders, longtime bass player Dillon DeVito, keyboarder Adam Bock and drummer Adam Zehnal. Their extensive 2014 touring proved fruitful while recording 3 Shots. After only 14 studio days the new album was in the can, recorded mostly live with few overdubs by producer Don Dilego. Seasoned pro John Agnello (Steve Wynn, Buffalo Tom, Mark Lanegan, J Mascis, Son Volt, The Phosphorescent) mixed the album.
"We didn't really think about it much at the time, but I think it's becoming apparent now why we chose to name our band after that song," says Montali. "Bob Dylan was the guy who took the folk/singer-songwriter thing and made it rock, so he was abig inspiration to the kind of band that we wanted to be. We also wanted to put it across that we're an American band, and that the songs come first for us, and obviously Dylan is songs-first kind of guy."
Right from the start the band prove their versatility. 'Cathedral' is uptempo, melodic, semi-acoustic indie folk pop, followed by title track 3 Shots with a very catchy chorus and no less than two delicate guitar solos. The 7-plus minute 'John Wayne' is a killer track starting out as a western movie lamento before moving into a rocking crescendo with Mike Montali doing his best
Robert Plant and Jon Bonilla rocking out hard on guitar. 'Rain Dance' - the track "with" Bo Diddley -has been heatedly discussed on the internet before its release. They're jamming over an unreleased rhythm track with one of Diddley's signature riffs from 2008. 'Sandy' is a full-on Memphis/Muscle Shoals groove with horns and a Steve Cropper-type guitar. 'Sweet Tooth' rolls by smoothly with its dominant bass figure and thought-out arrangement with piano, guitars, and backing vocals. 'Death Of An Actress' - a lush rock ballad with beautiful melodic phrases and a brash guitar in the outro - may serve as an example for the band's continuing development. 'Highway 1' is twangy country rock over a rockabilly beat, a duet with extrovert alt-country singer
Nikki Lane. 'Wait For Me Virginia' seems to bring together Exile-period Stones with 70ies southern rock flair and Led Zep-like vocals. This is in contrast with the acoustic, half-Spanish number 'Mi Amor'. And then there's the hymn-like closer 'Ballad Of Mr. Rose', a Band-style roots-rock ballad with a catchy singalong chorus and beautiful guitar. This album is a mile marker for Hollis Brown!
UK TOUR DATES 2015
26th October London (UK) @ The Islington
27th October Newcastle (UK) @ The Cluny 2
28th October Leicester (UK) @ The Musician
29th October Nottingham (UK) @ The Maze
30th October Oxford (UK) @ The Bullingdon
www.hollisbrown.com
