[su_dropcap style=”flat” size=”4″]H[/su_dropcap]ailing from Queens, Hollis Brown‘s sound is best describe as Mumford & Sons meets Tracy Chapman meets Johnny Cash meets REM meets Hall & Oates meets Everything but the Girl. That is a lot of intermingling but when you listen to the new album, 3 Shots, you quickly understand how it all comes together.
3 Shots kicks off with “Cathedral,” a thumping serenade that is bursting with potent imagery and optimism. The titular track, “3 Shots,” doesn’t disappoint, keeping up the pace but introducing a dash of dramatics. You get the feeling that vocalist Mike Montali is trying to tell you something, commenting on societal ills and the bigger picture.
“John Wayne” is fun, showing that the band has conceptual prowess. “Rain Dance” is one of the most moving songs on the album. It rushes at you and puts you in a perpetual twirl and spin. If this song catches fire, we are bound to see a lot of thunderstorms this summer.
“Sandy” has class rock appeal but comes off as a rambunctious warm up to the more composed “Sweet Tooth”.
The mood becomes somber with “Death of an Actress”—and appropriately so. The song assures the listener that Hollis Brown isn’t just some faux honky-tonk quintet bringing country grit to the city. “Death of an Actress” is one of those trophy songs that confirm Hollis Brown’s ability to pen heartfelt ballads.
3 Shots rounds out beautifully with the last couple of songs—especially with the jukebox ready “Wait for Me Virginia.” Overall, this album is a neoclassic. Get the album today!
Akeem is our founder. A writer, poet, curator and profuse sweater, he is responsible for the curatorial direction and overall voice of Quiet Lunch. The Bronx native has read at venues such as the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, KGB Bar, Lovecraft and SHAG–with works published in Palabra Luminosas and LiVE MAG13. He has also curated solo and group exhibitions at numerous galleries in Chelsea, Harlem, Bushwick and Lower Manhattan.