Music
Press
So it's clear acoustic NYC troubadour JOE BRACK isn't going to be given an easy ride, but this is his first trip to Cork, and the end of a two-week trek this gritty singer/ songwriter has been undertaking around Ireland. He's got two likeably accomplished albums ("Stones Throw Away" and "Superhero") to his name and thus plenty of material to draw upon, and is clearly keen to end his tour on a high.
Looking like a cross between Michael Weston King and a younger Eitzel in his smart, white trilby and neat blue and grey shirt (ironic, bearing in mind the American Music Club tune of the same title), Brack's songs are probably the most traditional singer/ songwriter affairs of the evening, but his warm voice is distinctive, his finger picking is fluid and he's not afraid to throw a few curves, as we'll see.
From the off, it's sounding good. Early highlight "Rescue Me" has a defiant, weatherbeaten feel with just a tinge of Ryan Adams and pivots around the line "I tell ya baby, it'll be alright" and a full-blooded chorus. Good start, and one he's soon building on steadily with songs like the keening hurt and loss tangible in "Superhero" ("If I was a superhero, then the skies would clear and you'd be here...wish you were here") and the redemptive, quasi-religious aspect of "Wishing Well" immediately earmarking them as music of quality and depth. Just to show he's happy to embrace diversity, he sets up a primitive beat to sample for another song and intially sets about it a capella, a la David Byrne. Drawing on Americana, folk, blues and the inimitable US power pop tradition, Joe Brack is surely one to watch. - Tim Peacock : Whisperin & Hollerin
So it's clear acoustic NYC troubadour JOE BRACK isn't going to be given an easy ride, but this is his first trip to Cork, and the end of a two-week trek this gritty singer/ songwriter has been undertaking around Ireland. He's got two likeably accomplished albums ("Stones Throw Away" and "Superhero") to his name and thus plenty of material to draw upon, and is clearly keen to end his tour on a high.
Looking like a cross between Michael Weston King and a younger Eitzel in his smart, white trilby and neat blue and grey shirt (ironic, bearing in mind the American Music Club tune of the same title), Brack's songs are probably the most traditional singer/ songwriter affairs of the evening, but his warm voice is distinctive, his finger picking is fluid and he's not afraid to throw a few curves, as we'll see.
From the off, it's sounding good. Early highlight "Rescue Me" has a defiant, weatherbeaten feel with just a tinge of Ryan Adams and pivots around the line "I tell ya baby, it'll be alright" and a full-blooded chorus. Good start, and one he's soon building on steadily with songs like the keening hurt and loss tangible in "Superhero" ("If I was a superhero, then the skies would clear and you'd be here...wish you were here") and the redemptive, quasi-religious aspect of "Wishing Well" immediately earmarking them as music of quality and depth. Just to show he's happy to embrace diversity, he sets up a primitive beat to sample for another song and intially sets about it a capella, a la David Byrne. Drawing on Americana, folk, blues and the inimitable US power pop tradition, Joe Brack is surely one to watch. - Tim Peacock : Whisperin & Hollerin
Discography
"Stones Throw Away" - 11 songs, released January-2001
"Superhero" - 11 songs - released January - 2004
Photos
Bio
Born in Kingston NY, Joe Brack lived throughout the northeastern US while growing up and is now proud to call New York City home. Joe’s music is a mix of folk, pop, rock and alternative with keen melodies and thought provoking lyrics and has been described as a modern day James Taylor.
Cuts from Brack’s two self–released albums Stones Throw Away (2001) and Superhero (2004) have been used in TV including MTV’s, Real World and NBC’s Just Deal as well as film including the independent film Fishing and Sam’s Lake (which debuted at the 2006 Tribeca film festival).
Brack has toured throughout the US and Europe and has supported acts as diverse as Marc Cohen, Colin Hay, Mark Eitzel and The Weepies, among others. In addition to working on his third record due out in mid-2007, Joe recently took time out to compose the original score for the independent film “Play It By Ear”.
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