Dean Haakenson is the heart of Be Brave Bold Robot, which is very appropriate because he may very well be the human personification of love. If you've seen him play live then you know that Dean lays it all on the very sweaty line every time he picks up his guitar and gets behind the microphone. There's nothing artificial there, and there's nothing artificial on the Be Brave Bold Robot self-titled release either. It's a punk-folk-rock-soul collision echoing Elliot Smith, Counting Crows, and whoever it was that sang Puff the Magic Dragon (Peter, Paul & Mary). Lyrics are everywhere, sometimes belted out, sometimes delivered as stilted half-raps, and they are worth listening to. If you don't know Dean Haakenson before you listen to this record, you will after. Melodically, this album does nod occasionally to pop sensibilities (you may even hear a chorus or two or three), but it never approaches Mayer-esque song construction, which from my point of view is a good thing. Fear not though, there is always a beat to dance to.Dean is joined on the album at various points by a varied cast of characters, including Matty Gerkin (who also adds some electric guitar) and Thomas Minnick on bass, Andrew Morrin on drums, Rocky Rupple and Heather Phillips with backing vocals, Eric Talley on cello, Jeremy Pagan on lead guitar, John Bellizia on banjo, and Alisha Jurick on clarinet. All in all, the record is a product of love, and love seems to make everything okay. You don't often find a banjo, vibraphone, cello, stand-up bass, and clarinet all comfortably nestled on the same record, but they recline well here.
Visit http://www.myspace.com/bebraveboldrobot to buy the album and see show dates.
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