Review: the Crooked and the Straight
Maggie Brawley | Los Angeles, CA | 09/28/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Bravo Johnson was an experience, one that took me down a road that brought me back to my good ole southern nights of drinkin beer, jamming out, and getting lost to the sounds of Lynyrd Skynrd and The Allman Brothers. The Crooked and the Straight is of complete authenticity- bringing back influences of Petty type vocals, to the very own track "Ishmael," resembling rifts of Zeppelin. Johnson's sound reminisces the essence of classic rock that we music lovers long to see in this generation. The Crooked and the Straight is an eclectic collection that exudes the great sounds of the 60's and 70's, and is a concrete reflection that reminds us that it does not get any better than some true, original rock... take us home Bravo Johnson!"
'Bravo' for Bravo Johnson's 'The Crooked and The Straight'
Billy Moschella, Jr. | Boston, MA | 09/24/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The sophomore CD release from Los Angeles based Americana/Roots-Rock quartet `Bravo Johnson,' this 2-disc, 27 track release is one of the better independent albums seen thus far in 2008, and is a welcome addition to any classic rock collection. The album's title also suggests a `theme' of sorts for the 2 discs: Disc one features a more mainstream Roots Rock sound, (`The Straight'), while Disc two contains much more musical experimentation (`The Crooked').
Releasing a double album is a bold venture for any young band, to be sure, but Bravo Johnson pulls it off better than most. The production is first rate, and the band is tight throughout. There is also some terrific solo work by guitarist Hendrik Roever. And, being a fan of musical self-indulgence, I can appreciate the `jam band' feel on some of the tracks.
The band's website also features some very cool logo and design work reminiscent of the style of classic filmmaker Luis Bunuel, which, strangely, seems to fit quite nicely with the bands sound and image.
I highly recommend `The Crooked and The Straight' to fans of artists as diverse as Tom Petty, The Beatles, The Eagles, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1