HOLLIS BROWN - CLuster of Pearls BENT CORNER BARGAIN! (Memphis meets Muscle Shoals style R&R) LP

Brand new sealed perfect vinyl with just a little old crunchy corner, what a deal! 

Showing great range, from Bo Diddley backbeat to the stylized Soul of Hall & Oates, Hollis Brown is an American Roots music band from New York City that rocks.

The opening track “Completed Fool”  busts the record open with a wicked bass line and introduces us to just one facet of lead singer Mike Montali‘s jewel-solid vocals. On Cluster Of Pearls the more jangly indie guitar of their past efforts is moved to the back of the mix and lead guitarist John Bonilla‘s growling lead takes control. It wasn’t until later tracks that I was “completely fooled” as they say, but the bands fusion of soul/rock/and alt-country sounds has come to fruition over their last three albums and is on full display here.

“Don’t Want To Miss You” moves into a Memphis meets Muscle Shoals style sound that relies heavily on reverb and crying style vocals. It’s clear these guys are listening to the good stuff (Otis Redding, Eddie Hinton, et. al) and that listening is finding it’s way into the music. “Hey Baby” rolls into the album like a train going by, pinched notes squawk a riff, a rimshot drum beat skitters around some low end bass work and Montali howls “Hey Baby, make me blue, I want to make sweet love to you / Hey mama shine your light I kinda want you to treat me right” as Bonilla’s guitar takes off into face scrunching solo territory.

Features 4 previously unreleased tracks and 2 songs released on vinyl for the first time.

Tracklist