Brian Lisik

"With a wonderful grasp of classic Pop/Rock, Ohio songwriter Brian Lisik makes music that is not 'of' any specific era. With a tinge of twang, Lisik's songs ring with a melodic effortlessness that great songwriters like Paul Westerberg and Jeff Tweedy ooze on a regular basis. Happiness is Boring, co-produced by former GBV member Todd Tobias, came out last year; look for a DVD featuring footage from the tour behind that album in the near future" - Cincinnati City Beat.

"Brian Lisik taps the same ragged roots-rock vein as the Replacements and Old '97s, cooking Stones-style country-blues and jingle-jangle twang into a variety of enticing recipes. From "The Outskirts," whose soulful, horn-fueled shuffle recalls early Springsteen, to "Nothing I Can Do," whose opening refrain harks back to the Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn!", producer Todd Tobias (Guided by Voices) manages to keep the sound crisp and clean without polishing out Lisik's barroom roots. Though the Akron native delivers mostly catchy, uptempo numbers, it's the heart-rending ballad "Sleeping With a Moron" that hits hardest, delivering the bitter bite of a man cuckolded by his Corvette-driving neighbor ("a self-made man in a Def Leppard shirt") - Cleveland Scene

"A brutal, honest delivery, imbued heavily with solid rock riffs and funky delivery"- Bootleg Magazine, Wilmington, N.C.

"The epitome of coffee-house cool" - Folkalley.com

"I write pretty little songs for people with ugly little lives. Musically, it's sort of John-Cougar-on-crack, or Tom Petty's greasy little brother. I like to think of what I do as empowering soul music for hopeless suburban white guys...oh, and I still play very, very loudly" - Brian Lisik, 2007


In Sept. 2012,Ohio-based singer-songwriter Brian Lisik's third solo album, "The Mess That Money Could Buy" was released by Cherokee Queen Records, with Lisik kicking off a Midwest and East Coast tour in support of the album. No Depression called the 11-song collection a "winning formula of catchy phrasing, jangly guitar riffs, and great pop hooks" (No Depression, 8/29/12)

Lisik is currently touring throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic states - both solo and with his band - and a DVD documentary entitled "On The Wrong Side Of The Canal," featuring interviews and live footage from the tour, is scheduled for release in 2013.

Though his career stretches back several years and several bands, the 2004 release "Baggage" became the most successful yet for the former frontman of the late '90s pop-punkers The Giants of Science. Produced by "Jet Black" Eddie Tomecko (Bone, Thugs, and Harmony; Don Dixon) and mastered by Nashville-based Bernie Grundman alumnus Erik Wolf (En Vogue; John Prine; Delbert McClinton), the 10-song collection yielded the moderate radio hits "Still Think I'm Breathing" and "Heaven Daddy."

Over the following two years, Lisik shared stages with acts such as Jesse Malin, Tim Easton, Roger McGuinn, and Kid Rock and made a cameo appearance in (along with contributing music to) the independent film "Circle Track Summer."

In 2006 Lisik wrapped up work with his brother Craig (The Witch Hazel Sound; The All Golden; Trancas) and Guided By Voices producer Todd Tobias on "Happiness Is Boring," the harder-edged follow-up to "Baggage." Cherokee Queen Records released "Happiness" in July 2006, with the singles "Nothing I Can Do" and "Saving Grace" immediately gaining attention from college and public radio.