Blow Up Hollywood

“In name and in art, this New York collective is a response to a culture that values style over substance. You'd expect their sound to be more punk considering the anarchy of their name, but instead Blow Up Hollywood prefers to shake things up with an unusual mix of emotional text and cinematic arrangements. Their latest album Fake plays out like one continuous symphony of epic rock, graced by several haunting instrumental passages that feature lush string arrangements. The band is so intent on making the music the story that they don't put any bio information on their packaging or web site.”
– Steve Ciabattoni, Editor CMJ

- CMJ

“Their name is certainly scary and threatening, but the music of this New York-based art rock group ventures into regions of dream pop, moody rock and evocative chamber instrumentals. Their recent album, FAKE, is already garnering critical hosannas”.
– John Diliberto, Echoes
- Echoes

“Forget about image and media leading sales, sales, sales. Blow Up Hollywood, in case you can’t tell by the band's name itself, don't want to be known for all the gimmicks and tricks that sell music today. Judge this band for what it’s worth: the music itself. Their mellow rock style is at moments reminiscent of U2's softer side in the '80s, with a modern-edged mixture of electronics and cellos to keep the music unpredictable. Pain oozes off this album, the lead’s voice (and nor do they believe in naming band members in liner notes) trembling passionately with a nasal edge as he wails about loves that may have never been. It is a truly moving experience, no strings attached.” ----Lori Hager,The Sentimentalist
- The Sentimentalist

“There's nothing Fake about Blow Up Hollywood's second album. This is serious, serious music charged with very real emotion. Like gray clouds hanging low on a fall Sunday afternoon, occasionally pierced by hopeful moments of sunshine that never seem to last, this music is downright overshadowing and all-consuming yet, in a subtle, gentle manner, somehow comforting. The songs swell with grayness and disperse momentarily to reveal hopeful moments, all the while accentuated by visceral passages of lyrical pleading. And yes, all of this is achieved with good old-fashioned guitars, bass, drums, and vocals, along with some keyboards and cello for added ambient effect. Decade-old alternative rock bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Live won legions of listeners with this sort of brooding music, but the music of Blow Up Hollywood is a much more serious affair. These guys aren't aiming for modern rock radio or indie credentials; they're making music that resonates deep in your soul, the sort of music that's so intimate, you feel like the band is playing its songs for you and you alone. In fact, you could think of Blow Up Hollywood as mid-'90s Sunny Day Real Estate ten years later — still conflicted and passionate yet further jaded and further drawn within, putting away the distortion pedals in favor of long passages of quiet numbness. This is heartfelt music that is made out of a love for music-making, not a quest for fame. So if you're looking for some real music charged with real emotion and played with real passion, look for Fake.
-All Music Guide - All Music Guide

"Pure Artistry...this album reveals the inner most thoughts of the human psyche… a musical epiphany." -Mike Vincenti, thefreezer.com

- The Freezer

“Very heartfelt and expansive in scope, Blow Up Hollywood's release Fake has an orchestral feel that is hard to ignore. The production and song construction are first-rate. These anonymous guys really deserve credit for a piece of artwork like this.”
– Impact Press
- Impact Press

When you listen, and you will listen, the music envelopes you, you run movies in your head, you reflect, things happen. The strings are lush and beautiful, the guitar work likewise; the songs ebb and flow as one big unit as well as individually. I think this is best listened to in its totality on a home system. Much in the way that Radiohead's "OK Computer" was an ethereal sort of mood-inducing disc, BUH's "Fake" digs deep into your soul. The surreal beauty of the tracks here easily place this disc as best of the year”. –NY Rock - NY Rock

“…nice flow, varied intensity, emotional story. Incredibly deep and interesting music.”
-Hybrid Magazine
- Hybrid Magazine

“An anonymous duo heavily influenced by the dreamy aesthetic of Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and The Verve, blow up hollywood renders a breathy, cosmic collection sure to ignite lava lamps and incense burners to all who come in contact. Built upon simple, legato melodies of voice and acoustic guitar embellished by a myriad of sound effects, lush keyboard textures, and a wide array of orchestral harmonies and counterpoint, blowupollywood excels at creating memorable, anthemic songs with a classic 70's studio sheen. "Born" quotes an obscure Paul Simon lyric. The sampled flutes, arpeggios, slide-guitar, and double-tracked vocals of "Oceans" are majestic as they coalesce into a grand finale. And vintage B3 at the onset playfully pushes "White Walls" into Procol Harum territory. Though the references may be retro, "Fake" is a futuristic tour-de-force”. © Tom Semioli - Amplifier