Hollis Brown
New York City, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2009 | INDIE
Music
Press
"A band that's a little bit classic pop, a little bit Americana and a whole lot of sweet rock 'n' roll." - The Pulse Magazine
"Dylan filtered through the Black Crowes...Hollis Brown finishes strong with the feisty, pre-punk psychadelia that suits them best." - Vintage Guitar Magazine
"These boys make 100 proof, sweaty, earnest Americana rock, showing the influence of many a day and night spent listening to their predecessors before them." - Les Infants Terribles
"Hollis Brown: Meat and Potatoes Rock 'N Roll Ain't Dead." - Mojo
"Their well-crafted songs are rooted in the blues and feature pop hooks that sink in and don't let go. This self-titled album could be a go-to companion for cruising with the windows down." - CMT
"The band is tight, the lyrics can be inventive and memorable and the sparse production is just right...keeps me coming back." - No Depression
"Everything you'd expect from a band named after a Bob Dylan tune, mixing Americana and Bible Belt blues with a heavy dose of no-frills Southern rock." - American Songwriter
"It's easy to see how Hollis Brown's sound could be as relevant years down the road as it is today." - Paste Magazine
"Through this consistently impressive first long player, Hollis Brown have carved out their own space with a set of timeless, rustic and eminently tuneful and soulful sounds." - SHINDIG!
"Hollis Brown makes music that that sounds as alive today as it would've in 1966 and will 40 years from now." - SPIN
"Most impressive is that Hollis Brown makes it all seem easy. The five piece gels as one and the music rolls off them with the confidence, control, and dedication of a band on their fifth album, not their second. - American Songwriter
So what is it that finally put Hollis Brown on the map? Who cares. Point is, we're all hooked." - Elmore
"3 Shots" song premiere - Relix
"...we can ascertain that the band has excellent taste, are pursuing a distinguished tradition, and also might be pretty good. And they are." - Yahoo Music
"Ride On The Train" is the group's debut full-length album, and it's a gem, full of memorable songs and a sharp, taut sound that only includes what is necessary to put the song over. - All Music
“People really need to show up early to hear Hollis Brown. They are just an unbelievable live band.” -Adam Duritz of Counting Crows - Boston Herald
Discography
When The Weather's Warm EP (3/8/11)
Hollis Brown LP (release date 12/6/11)
Ride On The Train (2013)
Gets Loaded (2014)
3 Shots (2015)
Photos
Bio
Mike Montali - vocals, guitars
Jonathan Bonilla- guitars
Andrew Zehnal - drums
Adam Bock - piano, vocals
Scott Thompson - bass
Hollis Brown is an American Rock ‘n’ Roll band. Named after a Bob Dylan song (“The Ballad of Hollis Brown”), the band was formed by Queens-natives and songwriters Mike Montali (lead vocals/guitar) and Jonathan Bonilla (lead guitar). Both 2nd-generation immigrants (Italian-American and Puerto Rican-American, respectively), they soon found their musical brethren across America, recruiting Andrew Zehnal (drums) from Cleveland, Adam Bock (keyboard/vocals) from St. Louis, and Scott Thompson (bass) from Boston.
Hollis Brown’s latest vinyl EP, Cluster of Pearls (Alive Naturalsound Records), was chosen as one of the 300 select releases throughout the world for Record Store Day 2016. Pressed on Starburst Vinyl, the record is limited to 800 copies and features four previously unreleased tracks and two songs released on vinyl for the first time. Cluster of Pearls follows up the 2015 release of Hollis Brown's third album 3 Shots (Jullian Records/RED), featuring the Bo Diddley collaboration “Rain Dance,” and the duet “Highway 1” with acclaimed alt-country songstress Nikki Lane. The edgy, roots-rock indie band from Queens, NY, known for its adrenaline fueled performances, recently wrapped 40+ amphitheater shows across America supporting Counting Crows and Citizen Cope last Summer/Fall, followed by a month-long headline tour in the UK and Europe.
The independent act has achieved a significant amount of success since their formation in 2009. They released their debut album Ride On The Train on Alive Naturalsound in 2013 (produced by Adam Landry), garnering song and video premieres from Rolling Stone, Paste, and American Songwriter, along with music placements on Direct TV's "Kingdom," Showtime’s “Shameless,” MTV’s “Real World,” and the Willem Dafoe/Matt Dillon film “Bad Country”. Following a Lou Reed tribute concert in NYC, Alive Naturalsound asked the band to record a tribute to the Velvet Underground’s classic album Loaded, as a limited-edition vinyl release for Record Store Day 2014. Hollis Brown Gets Loaded took on a life of its own, with airplay on influential radio stations, resulting in a full CD & digital release.
The band has toured extensively in America and Europe, headlining and supporting such bands as The Zombies, Jackie Greene, Heartless Bastards, Rich Robinson of Black Crowes, and Jesse Malin, and building an impressive fan base on both continents.
Band Members
Links
