North Hollywood Skyline by Brady Harris

“North Hollywood Skyline” is undeniably Americana but the songs themselves are so strong and Beatles-esque at times that you do have to check the credits to reassure yourself the tunes haven’t been nicked. Tracks like the opener “Get the Losers Out” and “Come Along and Thrill Us” contain gentle lilting melodies, almost sardonic lyrics and really memorable hooks. The dichotomy between the various angles of his sound are wryly explored on “We’re Alt Country (& Yer Not)” (which should give record shop owners some genre based categorisation headaches) but there are some genuinely sublime country ballads here too – the arrangement on “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” in particular can make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck without any difficulty at all, and “Westward Heaven” takes an almost blues based riff and turns it into something more developed and creative which builds beautifully. Harris’ voice throughout is one of the most distinctive on the current Americana scene with echoes of Elton John and Lennon himself, and pedal steel provided by the Minus 5’s Tucker Jackson provides a quality backdrop for many of the songs. At the end of the day, for all the excitement the album generates in its studio form as released, you know that alone with a guitar and Harris’ voice, the songs could speak for themselves quite easily unhindered by production. Unique and definitely worth exploring.

(Rated 9 on a scale of 10!)

-Mark Whitfield, AMERICANA-UK (www.americana-uk.com)

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Press samples for "Lone Star":

The Texas-bred, Los Angeles based Harris goes on a highly-rewarding musical trip through Beatlesesque pop-rock and singer-songwriter intimacy.

–Michael Berick, NO DEPRESSION MAGAZINE

One of the strongest roots-pop releases we`ve heard not only in 2003 but in the last few years.

-NOT LAME RECORDS

More evidence that it's what's lurking beneath the radar that's really important, Brady Harris - following the familiar career trajectory of starving busker (in London and Paris), accidental recordings, critical acclaim (not the least of which came at the NxNW conference in '99) impressive underground success ($5000 from MP3.com) and still no major label deal - has just released his third album, recorded at home with the assistance of a $500 Shure microphone he won for his roots-grass version of Motorhead's 'Ace Of Spades'. Intrigued? Good, for mere words can never do him justice. Ignore, then, the fact that Harris' voice bears comparisons with John Lennon; ignore the fact that he creates a beguiling brand of alt. power country pop, something like Peter Bruntnell massaging Big Star; ignore the fact that Harris can take on Joe Pernice in his own back yard and win. Ignore these words, let your ears do the judging, and you're left wondering where this California-dwelling Texan has been hiding all your life.

-Michael Ornadet, LOGO-MAGAZINE (UK)

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