Erik Brandt's Press:
City Pages. (Mpls, MN) Rick Mason
“These concrete jungle hayseeds from the wind-whipped plains of St. Paul are fervent eclectics, liable to wander into funk, Arabic, or Irish music at the drop of a hi-hat. But their true allegiance is to bands like the Flying Burrito Brothers and their descendents, who like to mash together country, bluegrass, and rock n’ roll.”
Tcdailyplanet.net. Dwight Hobbes
“If superlatives come strong enough to do master singer-songsmith Erik Brandt’s The Long Winter (House of Mercy Recordings) justice, they escape this reviewer. Long-time head honcho of storied veterans the Urban Hillbilly Quartet, Brandt pulls off a true tour de force with ingenious, eclectic originality, some of strongest songwriting you’re likely to ever come across. … Bottom line, the man is a musician’s musician.
Phantom Tollbooth
“Touring indefatigably whenever he can break away from teaching high schoolers words like “indefatigable” as an English teacher for years, Erik Brandt and the UHQ are always a delightful discovery for audiences. Brandt successfully combines cultivated musical sensibility with lyrical shrewdness. Recommended if you like the Jayhawks, Ryan Adams, Wilco Daniel Amos and Ticklepenny Corner. Part of the fun of listening to the Urban Hillbilly Quartet is spotting the musical influences which make up their indefinable and unique sound. The musical threads are multifarious—country, rock, jazz, blues, folk, eastern-European; all sewn together seamlessly.”
Paste Magazine. Tim Porter
“Amelia’s Boot is a gem of an album. If Brandt and UHQ continue to make these
kinds of evolutions, I have no doubt that we’ll soon be brandishing words like
“masterpiece” and drawing comparisons with albums like Fisherman’s Blues.”
Americana-uk.com
“Brandt and his supporting cast of collaborators certainly throw their stylistic net far and wide with this collection (The Long Winter), taking in sweet 'n' sharp power-pop with a Jayhawk-esque slant on opener ‘Greater Than’, to crunchier country rock on ‘Don’t Let It Happen To You’, to the fairly standard low-slung Blues-Rock of ‘Anywhere But Here’.
“UHQ pushes Americana’s boundaries beyond breaking point on “Amelia’s Boot”,
throwing smoky jazz, funk and even punk doo-wap into the brew.”
Pop Culture Madness. Kristyn
“If you like songwriters who write intelligent lyrics and really have something to say, then Erik Brandt is right up your alley.”
The Daily News (PA). Jeffrey Sisk
Brandt’s third solo stab has me wanting to explore his entire back catalog. Brandt mixes elements of rock, country, jazz and folk that consistently piques my interest.”
Music News Nashville. Janet Goodman
“Giving himself the freedom to explore all possibilities, St. Paul, Minnesota
singer/songwriter Erik Brandt (and frontman for the Urban Hillbilly Quartet) steps out here with his own dark-but-hopeful blend of folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll and jazz.”
The Star Tribune (Mpls). Chris Riemenschneider & Jon Bream
“Heretofore known as a rootsy/Americana tunesmith, Urban Hillbilly Quartet leader Erik Brandt branches out into rockier and stormier territory around some raw, moody ballads on his new album, "The Long Winter.””
“…this St. Paul singer/songwriter has come up with a diamond in the rough,
well-crafted richly romantic, Jayhawks-evoking country-folk recorded
with loving clarity…” (For Sometimes)
Int’l DJ “Country Eastern / Outlaw for Peace.” Eddie Russell
“What a splendid new album. Each song a treasure. Lyrical leaps and melody
abounds with a rare variety that makes a full album entertaining. A winner for sure”
The Isthmus (Madison, WI). Andy Moore
“High school English teacher by day, roots rocker by night, Erik Brandt…
literate, folksy and wry St. Paul singer/songwriter and his Urban Hillbilly Quartet”
CrossRhythms Magazine (UK). Mike Rimmer
“...totally devoid of any cliché. Roots music at its best and refreshment for my ears!”
Wisconsin State Journal: Capital Times. Rob Thomas
“The band blends electric guitars, accordions, fiddle and other instruments into
a sound that fills the space nicely between the Grateful Dead and Uncle Tupelo.”
