Brady Harris Band “NoHo Calling” (Independent, 2018)

Opening with the Devoesque ‘Let’s Live’ which is all new wave rhythms and hand claps with catchy choruses, you think you have a handle on The Brady Harris band and their new platter ‘NOHO Calling’ (that’s North Hollywood to you and me!) But the next track ‘Raise a Glass’ is pure barrelhouse boozer blues of the soft country lament variety, all crisp shuffle snare and sweet guitar and piano solos . It could be 1am and the bourbon has run out without it being messy.

Better Late Than Never’ switches again – a somewhat restrained driving song highlighting some tasty instrumental breaks. With ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ we perhaps return to a template that is probably close to understanding the Brady Harris mindset a brilliant cover that retains the underlying menace of the song whilst pouring it through the filter of bluesy tight guitars and a great lead break where the band are clearly enjoying themselves.

The Noho Sound’ changes everything! Full of local acronyms and places in the lyrics, the music is a soft harmony driven doo-wop sitting on a crystal clear jazz guitar. Beautiful and definitely subversive.

And so it goes, this album unfolds further with each listen and it is a journey I highly recommend. There is a whole but each of the parts however short and succinct is different and equally attention-grabbing, right up to the brooding instrumental closer of ‘Battle of Swankershim’. Recommended.

8/10
8/10

Summary

North Hollywood magpies pic n mix musical smorgasbord

About Keith Hargreaves 460 Articles
Riding the one eyed horse into dead town the scales fell from his eyes. Music was the only true god at once profane and divine The dust blew through his mind as he considered the offering... And then he scored it out of ten and waited for the world to wake up
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