The Next Round - Episode 17: Hollis Brown

Following Hollis Brown's RSD release party at IND Music, Mike Montali and I went upstairs to L'isola Restaurant in Williamsburg.  Born and raised in Astoria, Montali explained what it means to be in a band from Queens, how they came to record a Velvet Underground cover album, and why he enjoys European tours.  He also discussed some recent lineup changes in the group, including new drummer Andy Zehnal, who makes a brief cameo.

This podcast also features an exclusive peek into next week's episode with Terri Nunn of Berlin.

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Hollis Brown is playing at Rough Trade NYC tonight, so click here for tickets.  And click here for upcoming tour dates.

Hollis Brown Gets Loaded at IND Music Offices

As I waited in line for an hour at Kim's and then two hours at Turntable Lab, I was beginning to wonder if Record Store Day had jumped the shark.  It's obviously the biggest day of the year for independent shops, but having patrons turn in a checklist at the counter instead of thumbing through LPs seemed to take a bit of the spirit away.  Fortunately, TTL hadn't run out of any of the releases I wanted, so I left there pretty satisfied.  Unfortunately, neither store had Hollis Brown's tribute to the Velvet Underground, Hollis Brown Gets Loaded, limited to just 500 copies.

I headed to IND Music's offices in Williamsburg to go to the band's record release party in hopes of purchasing one there.  Sadly, RSD's rules prevented anyone but indie shops (and consequently, eBay scalpers) from selling the LP, so I was thwarted again.  But wait!  For a dollar, I could enter the raffle to win a copy.  I put in a Washington.  While I waited, I got treated to a live show from the Queens quintet.

The boys drifted into "Train Round the Bend" while they were still being introduced, eager to play some VU songs.  Unlike the last time I saw them at Front Row Cube, the weather outside was perfect, so only die-hard, respectful fans were in attendance.  Additionally, the band had obviously taken the time to make sure everything sounded great in the lower-level bar, and it showed on "Gypsy Black Cat" and my personal favorite, "Highway One."  Following "Cool It Down," Mike Montali said some thank yous while keyboardist Adam Bock (not Michael Hesslein) hurried to take a swig from his flask before they went for a "Ride on the Train."  The song ended beautifully, with Montali singing alone over Andy Zehnal gently nudging the crash cymbal with his mallets.  Zehnal left his sticks behind completely for the next tune, adding an authentic Latin cadence to "Mi Amor."  "Wait for Me, Virginia" brought the short set to a close with a loud, soaring solo from guitarist Jon Bonilla.

Time for the raffle.  Didn't win.  I got a text message from a friend in New Orleans, who was finding most of the RSD releases for me that I hadn't located in New York.  "Hollis Brown?" I questioned.  "Not yet," he replied.  Then I went to the rooftop restaurant above IND to tape a podcast episode with Montali.  It'll be out in a few weeks, so stay tuned for that.

I hustled over to Rough Trade only to find out that at 5pm, there was still a long-ass line. I waited for another 45 minutes or so, hoping that it hadn't sold out.  I finally got to dig through their RSD crates, and I found it!  It was under B, so I guess they didn't get the "band, not a man" memo.  Completing my shopping there, I got another text from my friend in NOLA.  With his help, I'd gotten everything on my list except for the Of Montreal Jigsaw Puzzle 7".  Even though I'd spent the majority of my day waiting in line, it was all worth it.

HOLLIS BROWN - 04.19.14 - IND MUSIC (32 minutes)

SET -
Train Round the Bend / Gypsy Black Cat / Highway One / Cool It Down / Ride on the Train / Mi Amor / Wait for Me, Virginia

Hollis Brown Play Their Longest Gig at Front Row Cube

Over the past year, the South Street Seaport has been aiming to reinvent itself from a mall near boats into an urban fun zone.  In the summer, they turned a shipping container into a bar, screened family-friendly films on an astroturf lawn, and had bands perform on an outdoor stage.  With the weather now in the 20s, it was only fitting that they open a pop-up indoor music venue to continue the party.  If you've ever wondered what a concert inside an upside-down bounce castle would be like, check out the Front Row Cube.  The inflatable cuboid with color-changing walls was a heated respite from the bitter breeze off the East River, but unfortunately, it attracted more chattering bargoers than music fans.  The talking bounced off the Cube's high ceiling, providing some stiff competition for the band.  Thankfully, Queens' premier neo-classic rock act, Hollis Brown, brought more than their A game, playing their longest concert, chock full of old favorites, covers from Otis Redding to the Rolling Stones, and brand new songs.

Hollis Brown started with "Highway One," a relatively new number, but definitely worthy of the opening slot.  It was a move of confidence, a trait that has increased every time I've seen them play.  Two of their best-loved tunes, "Ride on the Train" and "Gypsy Black Cat," came next, the latter with frontman Mike Montali and bassist Dillon DeVito singing the last round together into one mic.  It was nice to see keyboardist Michael Hesslein in a more permanent position, and new drummer Andrew Zehnal offered a jazzier take than his predecessor, Mike Graves.  As always, they absolutely nailed the harmonies on "Faith & Love."  They followed it with "Train Round the Bend," the first of four Loaded Velvet Underground tunes to make an appearance.  (The band is releasing a VU tribute in April.)  Sadly, the cocktail-drinkers yapped right over the quieter "If It Ain't Me."  "Alright, we're gonna rock out a little bit for you," announced Montali, diving into "Green River."  The Creedence cover grabbed a few more listeners, and then the band embarked on a dark jam before "Doghouse Blues."  "This is like the longest we've played this year.  We're putting a lot of shit out there," Mike informed.  Dillon sang "Carolina, Carolina," the only tune from their debut that was played, but his microphone wasn't loud enough to make a real impression.  Then the group stripped down to a trio of Montali, DeVito, and Zehnal for a new number with a chorus in Spanish (Hey, every band has to try it, right?).  Bonilla and Hesslein returned for "Sweet Jane," but I mainly heard the drunk guy in front of me debating his friends as to whether or not he'd heard the song before.  It was Neil Young's "On the Beach" that unquestionably proved the shortcomings of the audience.  The lyric "I need a crowd of people" should've been met with a roar, but alas, the babbling at the bar prevailed.  Jon Bonilla took lead vocals on "Lonesome Cowboy Bill," and injected a bit of chaos into the vibe before Montali slowed things down with a solo performance of the Stones' "No Expectations."  The road trip of a set that began on "Highway One" ended with another new song, "Wait for Me, Virginia."  With its singalong chorus perfect for a summertime drive with the windows rolled down, I have no doubt this is going to become a setlist staple for years to come.

I was truly surprised that the audience made enough of an effort to request an encore, but I was even more surprised by the song choice.  Montali said they'd be doing a "rock and roll staple," so I readied myself for "Rockin' in the Free World," which they've performed in the past.  When they catapulted into the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog," I smiled that I'd stuck it out despite my surroundings.  Hollis Brown weren't going to let a disrespectful crowd affect their performance, and that, my friends, is what truly takes confidence.

HOLLIS BROWN - 02.08.14 - FRONT ROW CUBE (1 hour, 49 minutes)

SET -

Highway One / Ride on the Train / Gypsy Black Cat / Faith & Love / Train Round the Bend / When the Weather's Warm / Outlaw Blues / Down on Your Luck / If It Ain't Me / Green River / Jam* > Doghouse Blues / Cool It Down / Hey Baby / That's How Strong My Love Is / Carolina, Carolina / Nothing & the Famous No One / Siempre Mi Amor* / Sweet Jane / On the Beach / Lonesome Cowboy Bill / Nightfall / No Expectations / Wait for Me, Virginia

ENCORE -

I Wanna Be Your Dog

Brooklyn Bowl's Governors Ball Afterparty with Sister Sparrow & Hollis Brown

This weekend's Governors Ball Music Festival turned into a Beale St. situation after a rainy Friday left the ground perpetually soggy.  Despite the mud, Sunday's weather and lineup looked like the perfect combination for festivalgoers, and what better way to cap off the day than to trade in your muck boots for bowling shoes at a rockin' official Governors Ball afterparty with Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds and Hollis Brown at Brooklyn Bowl?

Roughly six months ago, I discovered Hollis Brown middling at Deer Tick's Brooklyn Bowl residency.  In March, I went to their record release show at Mercury Lounge.  And the dependable band from Queens just keeps getting better.  Last night's opening trifecta was one for the books, beginning with the chugging "Ride on the Train" before slowing the tempo on the beseeching "When the Weather's Warm," and culminating with the bluesy "Down on Your Luck" that featured the best "ooh" backup vox I've heard from the band.  "We're going to keep the blues going for a bit," said lead singer Mike Montali as they embarked on "Meet Me in the Morning," which was followed by fan-favorite "Gypsy Black Cat."  Don't let Montali's eyeglasses fool you; he's not some Rivers Cuomo clone churning out nerd rock for teenagers.  He's the real deal.  If you need proof, just look where he keeps his guitar, slung low almost to his knees, so he can trade Crazy Horse-style riffs with bearded lead, Jon Bonilla.  "We're gonna play a new song that we've never done live.  Thank you guys for being our test audience," Mike announced.  "You Deserve It All" is definitely a step in the right direction for Hollis Brown.  It's a bit poppier than the rest of their canon, yet it still retains that classic rock sound.  And the decision to go up an octave on the "ooh ooh ooh"s on the last go-round is a commendable one.  Good news for a band that can avoid being pegged as a revival act as long as they continue with the stylistic expansions.

In nature, the male birds are the flashy ones, brightly colored to both attract mates and settle territorial disputes between competitors. Arleigh Kincheloe, also known as Sister Sparrow, is definitely the exception to the rule. The initial shock of hearing such a powerful, smoky voice coming out of such a young, skinny woman was spoiled for me having seen them at Bowlive, but that didn't affect the experience in the least because Arleigh is such an electric performer.  Strutting around the stage, whipping around her blouse's cotton cat o' nine tails with every shake of her hips ("This shirt may be the most dangerous thing I've ever worn."), Kincheloe gave it everything she had.  When she quenched her thirst, she gulped from a pitcher of water.  She made you understand why they refer to certain entertainers as magnetic.  It was as if there were tiny magnets in everyone's eyes, and she was a flurry of opposite poles.  You couldn't help but stare at her even if one of the DBs was soloing.  It took maybe two seconds after she took the stage for the venue to erupt into a full-blown dancefloor.

I saw the Main Squeeze earlier in the week, and they classified themselves as post-funk. It was my first time hearing of such a genre, which I suppose they use to describe their incorporation of prog-rock jamming into upbeat R&B numbers. The label could be more accurately applied to Sister Sparrow. The Dirty Birds are definitely a funk band, but they are not exactly a revival group like the Dap-Kings. In the 1980s, rap music was birthed when funk records were sampled as background beats for emcees to rapidly rhyme over.  Though not explicit, the hip-hop influence can be found in the sheer speed and ferocity with which Arleigh spits her lyrics.  And when she slowed things down, like on "Another Ride," you could really hear the richness of that voice.  Listening to her sensually pleading "I want to go on another ride," I had no doubt she was referring to the Mothership of Funkadelic folklore.  Another simmering stunner was the new Joss Stone-esque number, "Mama Knows," which contained a somewhat strange spoken-word section extolling the virtues of family: "I think my mama's the only woman in the world that knows what a pineapple upside-down cake is."  Family is obviously important to the singer, who enlists her brother on harmonica and her cousin on drums. 

In the course of the set, the band performed all four tracks from their Randy Jackson-produced EP, Fight, due this fall.  The first single, "The Long Way" was a lively Ike & Tina-inspired romp that was so fun that I forgave the horn players' chanting at the end that might've been a little too reminiscent of Justin Timberlake's "Rock Your Body."  Barrelling out the gate with a trombone solo from Ryan Snow, "Crawdaddies" was a gritty gumbo of Janis Joplin fronting a NOLA brass band, and Arleigh's guttural howls in "Boogie Man" would've frightened the monster himself.  The sound mix in the room could've been improved with more from Arleigh's mic, the harmonica, and the bari sax, which was especially evident on the closer, "Road Trip," where they took a trip around the stage, each Dirty Bird soloing the distinct birdcall of his instrument.  The hand-clapping breakdown found its way nicely into the post-set encore break applause.  The band returned to the stage once more, Arleigh proclaiming, "We're gonna bring it back real old school" before turning in a soulful rendition of "Roxanne" to bring the evening to its close.  Am I upset I didn't go to Governors Ball?  Not really.  As they say, the afterparty is always better than the party.

HOLLIS BROWN - 06.09.13 - BROOKLYN BOWL (44 minutes, 23 seconds)

SET -

Ride on the Train / When the Weather's Warm / Down on Your Luck / Doghouse Blues / Meet Me in the Morning / Gypsy Black Cat / Faith & Love / Walk on Water / You Deserve It All* / Revolution Blues

SISTER SPARROW & THE DIRTY BIRDS - 06.09.13 - BROOKLYN BOWL (1 hour, 35 minutes)

SET -

Intro > Millie Mae / No Rest / Eddy / Make It Rain / Freight Train / Another Ride / Hollow Bones > Back in Black / The Long Way / Mama Knows > Lasso / Dirt / Crawdaddies / Boogie Man / Fight / Bulldozer / Too Much / Road Trip

ENCORE -

Roxanne

Hollis Brown & Desert Noises Bring That Old Rock & Roll to Mercury Lounge

When I saw Hollis Brown open for Deer Tick back in December, they'd mentioned that they were going to release a record this year. Well, that time has come, and the rockers celebrated by playing the album and more at packed show at Mercury Lounge last night.

Desert Noises, a rock band from Utah who've been touring with them, kicked things off with a nine-song set. Beginning with "Grandma Looks," I was immediately impressed with how much energy the boys put into the songs live. "You guys ready to dance?" questioned frontman Kyle Henderson right before Patrick Boyer plunged into "Oak Tree" with a heavy dose of slide guitar. On record, Henderson's voice recalls Good Old War's Keith Goodwin, but in person, it's much more ferocious, his face contorting to match the intensity. There's also no bass in Good Old War, and Tyler Osmond's peppy plucking is key to the Desert Noises sound, especially on their new songs from the I Won't See You EP. These tunes, from the Band of Horses-esque title track to the Stephen Hawking-inspired "Birds," move along on a bouncier groove than their full-length, and show them growing as a band, aptly channeling their pop sensibilities through a classic rock filter. It's this filter that makes them stand out. Hip-shaking new ditty "Shiver" might've fit on a Warped Tour compilation if it were watered down and processed to shit, but Desert Noises have a weight to their songs, maybe even a little of "The Weight" the Band were singing about in '68. The young men of Desert Noises sound like they got ahold of their parents' old records and took to the garage to try their hand at it. If they were your kids, you'd hear the wailing guitar solos, open the door, and yell, "Keep it down!" because that's your obligation as a parent and good neighbor. Then you'd close the door, and with a proud smile, giddily say to your spouse, "They're getting really good."

After a quick tune-up, Hollis Brown wasted no time, charging into "Doghouse Blues" from their new album, Ride on the Train. "You go to work in the morning / You go to bed at night" were the first words out of Mike Montali's mouth.  You'd be hard-pressed to find lyrics like these in a contemporary song, and yet, it's still what the majority of us do, toiling our days away to support ourselves and our families.  It's that mentality that pervades Hollis Brown's songs.  They're not trying to reinvent the wheel because the rusty truck they're on still runs.  While most independent artists in New York seem determined to make their mark by finding the weirdest sound possible, the guys in Hollis Brown aren't willing to sacrifice quality songwriting for it. Michael Hesslein, who plays keys on the album, added another layer to a trio of fan favorites, "Nothing & the Famous No One," "Ride on the Train," and of course, "Gypsy Black Cat," which is where things really switched on for the band and the crowd.  I mentioned the Band before, and new song "Faith & Love" could've been an outtake from The Brown Album. "I wanna say thank you to the band for sticking with it and putting up with my bullshit," Montali said as his comrades left him to perform a solo "If It Ain't Me."

"We're gonna take a little break from doing our songs, and we're gonna do a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival," Mike announced as his cohorts returned.  "Green River" was met with cheers, but not as many as for their song, "Nightfall," which is saying something.   Bassist Dillon DeVito took lead vocals on "Carolina, Carolina."  At its end, he admitted that he wasn't a native New Yorker, but offered, "I think it took like 34 days on the road for New York to feel like home, so it's good to come back."  Hesslein was reinstated for the live debut of "Hey Baby," a tune where Jon Bonilla's guitar licks evoked the "woo woo"'s of "Sympathy for the Devil."  Montali set aside his six-string for "Cold City," the non-album single, which featured a super-funky breakdown from his bandmates.  The guy beside me who'd been yelling for "Walk on Water" all night finally got his wish when the song closed the set and marked the entire album played.  After a split-second encore break to wrangle Desert Noises from the crowd, the bands joined together for Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World."  Keep on rockin', boys.  Bands like Desert Noises and Hollis Brown may be a dying breed, but they're also proof that real rock 'n' roll will never die.

DESERT NOISES - 03.30.13 - MERCURY LOUNGE (38 minutes)

SET -
Grandma Looks / Oak Tree / Blinded by the Light* / I Won't See You / Birds / Fall Through the Sky* / Shiver / Wild Dream* / 27 Ways

HOLLIS BROWN - 03.30.13 - MERCURY LOUNGE (1 hour, 8 minutes)

SET -
Doghouse Blues / Down on Your Luck / When the Weather's Warm / Nothing & the Famous No One / Ride on the Train / Gypsy Black Cat / Faith & Love / If It Ain't Me / Green River / Nightfall / Carolina, Carolina / Hey Baby / Cold City / Walk on Water

ENCORE -
Rockin' in the Free World (feat. Desert Noises)

Deer Tick Begin Brooklyn Bowl Residency

Deer Tick began their 3-part residency at Brooklyn Bowl last night by playing Born on Flag Day and More Fuel for the Fire EP in their entireties, along with six tracks from War Elephant for an encore. The venue was packed with Tickheads, so buy your tickets for 12/12 and 12/19 now if you're interested.

Ian O'Neil, Deer Tick's guitarist and occasional singer, opened the show, taking the stage a few minutes before the 9:00 start time. "Welcome to the first night of me opening for my band every night," he acknowledged. O'Neil played a short set of the Deer Tick songs he sings and a couple covers, including "Lookin' for a Love" by Neil Young. It was neat to hear his solo takes on the DT songs, but it makes me wonder what his set on 12/19 will be like, considering all but one of the songs are on the album and EP they are scheduled to play that evening. I didn't notice any bowling noises during his set, but it was confusing to hear the crowd talking over a guy from the band they came to see actually playing the band's songs.

Hollis Brown, a band in the similar folk-rock realm, took the middle spot. They looked like total hipsters except for the fact that they were physically into their music. Mike Montali has a good voice, and at times, the band recalled a tamer Crazy Horse. They also put their spin on a Neil Young song, the Charles Manson-inspired "Revolution Blues." They're not breaking any new ground, but they're not trying to. Their album drops in 2013, and you can download their EP here for free.

The five members of Deer Tick walked onto the stage in blazers and ties, and after a quick final soundcheck, they proceeded with "Easy," the opening track of Born on Flag Day. "It's gonna be a fun few weeks," suggested John McCauley with a gold-toothed grin. "Little White Lies," the second track on the album, came next. When "Smith Hill" followed, it was apparent that the album would be performed in order, unlike Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle concerts or Dave Matthews Band's recent Away from the World show. "I'm really looking forward to next week because we get to play 'Holy Shit, It's Christmas!' Who's gonna be there for that shit show?" McCauley admitted a little too prematurely to be thinking about the other shows. He remained onstage while the other members left, Chris Ryan returning with a double bass and a fiddler in tow for "Song About a Man." The band rejoined them for "Houston, TX," Ryan keeping the upright handy to rotate between tunes.

Before playing "Friday XIII," McCauley annouced, "We've got some bad news. Liz Isenberg is sick, and couldn't make it tonight. Is there a lady here that knows all the words?" A cute girl named Caroline was chosen, and although her voice was a little nasal, she hit all the lyrics, minus a few once it struck her that she was actually onstage doing a duet with John.  "I was really doubtful, but it worked out," McCauley revealed with a laugh as she climbed off the stage. "It's because it's so close to Christmas. Miracles do happen." False starts happened for both "The Ghost" and "Hell on Earth," the latter with John flubbing the opening guitar part on his new sky blue Mustang with ruby slipper pickguard. The heartbreaking "Stung" was completed in one take, however, finishing the album in about forty minutes time.

"We have a few more ideas," offered McCauley, and they honky-tonked into "La La La" from More Fuel for the Fire. Former guitarist Andy Tobiassen left the band in 2010, but not before penning "Dance of Love." Would they play it? "It's on the EP that we said we're gonna play, so...," John obliged, and they nailed the jumpy little number that happens to be one of my favorite Deer Tick songs. "Axe is Forever" finished off the EP, and the boys slowed things down with set-closing folk standard "Goodnight, Irene," the hidden track at the end of Born on Flag Day.

The house music came back on, which seemed strange. At this point, they hadn't even played for an hour, and there was no mention of their debut LP War Elephant being played at the three shows. A minute and a half later, they returned to rock out "Standing at the Threshold." The War Elephant tracks that followed reinvigorated a crowd that didn't know what tunes to expect. Which turned out to be exactly the downfall of an album-structured Deer Tick show. Deer Tick is a party band. They defy curfews. They play as many as fifteen covers in a set. John McCauley has even been known to light his pubic hair on fire onstage. Tethered to an album's running order, that edge-of-your-seat spontaneity is absent, replaced with a formality reflected in the band's attire. (I saw McCauley's band Diamond Rugs perform their eponymous album this summer, but that loose vibe remained intact, likely because that group of musicians don't regularly play together.)  The most exciting moments were when things nearly fell apart halfway through "Straight Into a Storm," the duet with a stranger, attempting a song a past member wasn't there to sing, and one odd piece of headgear. You see, right after "Art Isn't Real," a bra was thrown onstage. Strapping the brassiere around his head, McCauley boasted, "I've got a cool, new hat for the winter," and kept it on for the rest of the encore. "What Kind of Fool Am I?" was a sweet solo affair, and the whole band, plus the fiddler, a harmonica player, and a very participatory crowd yelled along to "Ashamed." "Here's some top secret notes," McCauley joked, tossing out the setlist pages into the audience. I purchased the three-night pass, so here's hoping the encores get progressively longer and wilder. Either way, I'm going to see Deer Tick play all their songs, and that's pretty fucking cool.

IAN O’NEIL – 12.05.12 – BROOKLYN BOWL (21 minutes)

SET –

Passing Through > Now It’s Your Turn / Lookin’ for a Love / She’s Not Spanish / Walkin Out the Door / Hope is Big

HOLLIS BROWN – 12.05.12 – BROOKLYN BOWL (35 minutes)

SET –

Gypsy Black Cat / Ride on the Train / Faith & Love & Everything* / When the Weather’s Warm / Down on Your Luck / Walk on Water / Nightfall / Revolution Blues

DEER TICK – 12.05.12 – BROOKLYN BOWL (1 hour, 16 minutes)

SET –

Easy / Little White Lies / Smith Hill / Song About a Man / Houston, TX / Straight into a Storm / Friday XIII / The Ghost (false start) / The Ghost / Hell on Earth (false start) / Hell on Earth / Stung / La La La / Dance of Love / Axe is Forever / Goodnight, Irene

ENCORE –

Standing at the Threshold / Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin) / These Old Shoes / Spend the Night / What Kind of Fool Am I? / Ashamed