"Outstanding follow up to 2003's “Lone Star” album bridging the divide between country and the Beatles." (Rated 9 on a scale of 10) -Mark Whitfield, AMERICANA-UK (www.americana-uk.com)
Praise for North Hollywood Skyline:
Outstanding follow up to 2003's “Lone Star” album bridging the divide between country and the Beatles.
Texas born Brady Harris has been around for a while now, garnering critical acclaim and winning awards for his last three records from various quarters. Now based in LA, it’s the inbetween years of Harris’ adventures in Europe which often appear to have had the greatest impact on his music, giving him a unique hybrid sound of classic Americana tacked to a much more anglo-cised sound, and in particular the Beatles. And yeah, every other band can claim to be influenced by Lennon and McCartney but few do it with such conviction as Harris, partly because he doesn’t just sound like them but he often writes like them too. “North Hollywood Skyline” is undeniably Americana but the songs themselves are so strong and Beatles-esque at times that you do have to check the credits to reassure yourself the tunes haven’t been nicked. Tracks like the opener “Get the Losers Out” and “Come Along and Thrill Us” contain gentle lilting melodies, almost sardonic lyrics and really memorable hooks. The dichotomy between the various angles of his sound are wryly explored on “We’re Alt Country (& Yer Not)” (which should give record shop owners some genre based categorisation headaches) but there are some genuinely sublime country ballads here too – the arrangement on “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” in particular can make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck without any difficulty at all, and “Westward Heaven” takes an almost blues based riff and turns it into something more developed and creative which builds beautifully. Harris’ voice throughout is one of the most distinctive on the current Americana scene with echoes of Elton John and Lennon himself, and pedal steel provided by the Minus 5’s Tucker Jackson provides a quality backdrop for many of the songs. At the end of the day, for all the excitement the album generates in its studio form as released, you know that alone with a guitar and Harris’ voice, the songs could speak for themselves quite easily unhindered by production. Unique and definitely worth exploring.
(Rated 9 on a scale of 10!)
-Mark Whitfield, AMERICANA-UK (www.americana-uk.com)
While the title refers to the old Dylan album Nashville Skyline, Brady Harris' music is more Liverpool-meets-Laurel Canyon and Liverpool (for its Beatlesque touches, from Harris' Lennon-ish vocals to the George Martin-evoking string arrangements). And Laurel Canyon for the disc's relaxed Southern Californian country-rock elements. A Texas native, Harris now lives down the hill from Laurel Canyon in North Hollywood. The opening tune, "Get the Losers Out," gets the disc off with a sparkling start. Harris wraps up his jab at losers -- be they politicians or just people who "come around and bring their doubts" -- in a warm, melodic setting. Throughout the record, he impressively walks the line between pop and twang. "Bottom of the Bottle" suggests the Stones' "Dead Flowers" with a little less malice and none of Jagger's exaggerated Southern drawl. His use of strings and pedal steel (as in songs like "Sweethearts of the Rodeo" and "Westward Heaven") injects a dreamy quality to his music. This mood is enhanced by his tendency to layer his vocals. The lovely title track, with a gentle fingerpicked guitar exudes a lush folk feel that conjures up memories of the young Simon & Garfunkel. The disc, overall, has a more laid-back sound than his previous outing Lone Star. Harris, however, wisely shakes up the pace midway through with the sarcastic ditty "We're Alt.Country (& Yer Not)." This terrific jibe at the alternative country scene ranks up with Robbie Fulks' wickedly pointed "Roots Rock Weirdoes." North Hollywood Skyline, in fact, could benefit from a few more shots of energy. The album tends to drift off a bit, under the swell of strings and dreamy vocals. Still, his languorous leanings don't totally undercut the reality that Harris has crafted a highly pleasurable listening experience.
-Michael Berick, ALL MUSIC GUIDE (www.allmusic.com)
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Press samples for "Lone Star":
The Texas-bred, Los Angeles based Harris goes on a highly-rewarding musical trip through Beatlesesque pop-rock and singer-songwriter intimacy.
–Michael Berick, NO DEPRESSION MAGAZINE
One of the strongest roots-pop releases we`ve heard not only in 2003 but in the last few years.
-NOT LAME RECORDS
More evidence that it's what's lurking beneath the radar that's really important, Brady Harris - following the familiar career trajectory of starving busker (in London and Paris), accidental recordings, critical acclaim (not the least of which came at the NxNW conference in '99) impressive underground success ($5000 from MP3.com) and still no major label deal - has just released his third album, recorded at home with the assistance of a $500 Shure microphone he won for his roots-grass version of Motorhead's 'Ace Of Spades'. Intrigued? Good, for mere words can never do him justice. Ignore, then, the fact that Harris' voice bears comparisons with John Lennon; ignore the fact that he creates a beguiling brand of alt. power country pop, something like Peter Bruntnell massaging Big Star; ignore the fact that Harris can take on Joe Pernice in his own back yard and win. Ignore these words, let your ears do the judging, and you're left wondering where this California-dwelling Texan has been hiding all your life.
-Michael Ornadet, LOGO-MAGAZINE (UK)
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