npr tiny desk contest #deskoftheday
npr tiny desk contest “behind the scenes”
in-studio appearance on WBEZ Chicago 91.1fm
(home of NPR’s Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me and This American Life).
"A virtuoso live band of this calibre – grooving together like a beautifully engineered machine – topped off with silken female vocals...Liquid and inventive township style guitars, micron-precision drum grooves, yes… but what’s nailing it all together is a bassist with the effortless rhythmic flick of a Norman Watt-Roy or a James Jamerson."
Fresh On the Net, Fresh Faves
— BBC's Tom Robinson, Fresh On the Net, Fresh Faves
the greene space at wnyc/wqxr
Gentleman Brawlers Receives Honorable Mention:
Deli Magazine's Best of NYC
Poll for Emerging Artists
Read more >
frontwoman Becca Fox “went airborne, half-vocalist and half bird, swooping back onto the mic right on cue.”— Lucy Gellman, New Haven Arts
"In a time where music is dominated by pop melodies and arrangements (even in R&B, hip hop, and electronica), Gentlemen Brawlers remind us that there is a world of music to discover and hear, as heard on their brilliant and inventive single “My Theory”. . . . Gentlemen Brawlers integrate funky Afrobeat vibes with tinges of voodoo psychedelia. It’s Lagos, Nigeria meets New Orleans, USA. Konono No. 1 blended with Dr. John. Together, you get a single that is tantalizing and intoxicating, a single that will entrance you while making your body involuntarily groove anytime and anywhere. . . . If the LP sounds anything like “My Theory”, they could very well be the Western world’s answer to Konono No. 1."
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— Ben Yung, TheRevue.ca
"It had me on the funky intro. Great fusion of afro-soul, and dreamy synth pop, driven by a tight bassline and interesting guitar riffs. Lots of elements coming together beautifully."
Fresh On the Net, UK Weekly Listening Post
— David Durant, Fresh On the Net, UK Weekly Listening Post
Q & A with
bored in pittsburgh
Blending electronic, psychedelic, and afrobeat styles, the group whips up a frenetic cyclone of energy, palpable both in person and on record (but especially in person). Vocalist/keyboardist Becca Fox, guitarist Matt Walsh, and bassist Trevor Brown were kind enough to answer some questions for Bored In Pittsburgh.
A conversation with Jerry Doby, editor-in-chief at The HYPE Magazine
“Gentleman Brawlers are a Brooklyn, NY six-piece outfit that draws influence from afrobeat, funk, and psychedelic music. They’re one of those groups that is so transcendent live that it feels almost pointless to try and describe them. …By the end of the set, Becca Fox … turned into a blur of energy like the ones you sometimes see in old cartoons, one moment belting out high notes from the center of the stage, five seconds later laying down some spooky, atmospheric flourishes on a keyboard located stage right, all before running to her left and busting out a series of high-velocity dance moves. It was a thrilling display that served to elevate the experience from concert to one-person dance party.”
Read more >
— Ben Gibbons on Deutschtown Music Festival, Bored in Pittsburgh
"In the modern world of music, the spectrum of genres is infinite, as bands have started to blend genres together and began to erase any boundaries that existed before. New York-based Gentleman Brawlers is one of those bands who decided that one genre just wasn’t enough for them."
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— Sheila Walsh, Shutter 16 Magazine
"Gentleman Brawlers moves between the lines of strong songwriting, theatrics and sonic experimentation, through the fusion of ambient and psychedelic melodies of guitarists Jim Thomson and Matt Walsh, the Latin funk polyrhythms of bassist Alexis Arkus-Duntov and drummer David Ashkenazy, and vocal combination and singer Becca Fox's moving stage presence."
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— Joe Marvilli, Queens Tribune
"Not being one of those bands who bother with belonging to a movement or a trend, the Gentleman Brawlers displayed their strong understanding of the tricks and techniques of pop's biggest and best moments, the moments that stop your breath during the pause just before the big chorus, and they set out to make an entire night of such moments."
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— Amanda Fortnoy, Fluxphase
"A well balanced, often humorous concoction of underground delight."
— Philip Merino, Babysue
"The challenge for the Brawlers is putting all their creativity into something that sounds original and consistent, making it just opaque enough to create mystery while acknowledging the legends."
— Andrew Thompson, Hybrid Magazine
"Reminiscent of the powerful spareness of early Police albums, bassist Josh Myers and drummer Dave Chillino-Volano marry stripped polyrhythms with Matt Walsh's hooky guitar work as the band moves deftly through the history of chamber pop, Hendrix-era folk-metal, jazz, bossa nova and afrobeat. The diverse styles are woven together with excellent 3-part harmonies…"
— Malcolm Wagner, Music Emissions