Gentleman Brawlers

At what point can one say that a song sounds timeless? And can one say that a song two years old sounds fresh, inventive, and inspiring? Gentleman Brawlers’ single, “My Theory”, is one of those rare songs that feels brand new even though it was first released in 2014.
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”.

On “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. Kind of like the three woman in the song’s music video, which we are immensely pleased to premiere today.

One of the dancing women is Becca Fox, who is the frontwoman and keyboardists for the band. In 2011, Fox along with Jim Thomson (vocals/guitar), “Chatty Matty” Walsh (vocals/guitar), Ben Charnley (drums) and Trevor Brown (bass) formed Gentleman Brawlers, merging their shared interests of creating new, innovative music that re-introduced the Western world to new concepts, textures, and sounds. When “My Theory” was first released, it caught the attention of some of the most well-known radio personalities, including BBC Radio 6 broadcaster Tom Robinson.

The band is looking to build on the success of “My Theory” and their debut EP, We Were Made For These Times(purchase on iTunes), when they will release their debut, full-length album in September. If the LP sounds anything like “My Theory”, they could very well be the Western world’s answer to Konono No. 1. - TheRevue.ca

Somebody should send this to Craig Charles’s Funk & Soul Show on 6 Music without delay. A virtuoso live band of this calibre – grooving together like a beautifully engineered machine – topped off with silken female vocals is right up Craig’s street. I know nothing about Gentleman Brawlers and deliberately haven’t checked, in order to focus on the simply outstanding musicianship coming out of the speakers. 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. I’m a sucker for great bass playing and – trust me on this – this bass playing is truly great. Top marks too to the the glistening production. What’s missing? Songwriting of the same kind of standard as the band itself. Pleasant as My Theory is, the day they write a Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick or a Reach Out, I’ll Be There of their own is the day they’ll take over the world. - Fresh On the Net, Fresh Faves

I began to truly and honestly listen to music when I was around 14 years old. I don’t remember what I did to pass the time before that, but around that age, I began to analyze lyrics, pay attention to the music behind the vocals, and figure out what exactly I liked about music. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since then, it’s that no one should take the label ‘genre’ too seriously. 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.

On their ReverbNation page, Gentleman Brawlers claim to sound like Deerhunter, Tina Turner, Bon Iver, Tame Impala, and Hot Chip. This collection of bands alone was enough to confuse me before I listened to their music; I normally like to get an idea of what I’m getting myself into, but Gentlemen Brawlers just wasn’t having it.

As I listened to the songs provided on the band’s ReverbNation page, I read up on their history and was somewhat surprised.  The musical career of the 5-piece band is in its infancy and yet the group has played all over the world, from college campuses to clubs in London.  How can such a new band gain success so quickly? Pure talent, that’s how.

The psychedelic Afro-soul revivalists wrote a song for an album called Occupy This Album, a record that supported the Occupy movement going on in New York in 2012; a year later, the group dropped a self-produced EP entitled We Were Made For These Times.  Since then, the band’s latest psychedelic single, “My Theory” has been featured in jazz clubs all over the world, and for good reason.

“My Theory” is a song I found myself accidentally listening to three or four times in a row; I’m still uncertain of how many times it played because if I’m being honest, play number five or six is happening as I type this out.  It’s not that the song is easy to block out or is meant to be background noise; in fact, it’s quite the opposite.  The steady rhythm accompanied by such lovely vocals and unexpectedly-fitting random effects captured my attention for a good fifteen minutes.  I moved on to other songs, found out they were a multi-vocal band with two males and a female vocalist, and came to one conclusion: there really is no genre for Gentleman Brawlers.

Every song was so different than the previous one, to the extent that they perhaps don’t belong on the same record.  Of course, in a fashion only these guys could pull of, they found common ground in the rhythm and made it work.  Each song, though vastly different than the one before or after it, belonged on the same piece of art.  It just did! No wonder they listed off five completely different artists to compare themselves to; I can’t make up my mind either! I am quite certain that this band is on its way to fame.  Look out, world, Gentleman Brawlers is destroying your musical boundaries and taking names. Except a new full-length record this September! - Shutter 16 Magazine

Gentleman Brawlers Receives Honorable Mention: Deli Magazine's Best of NYC 2013 Poll for Emerging Artists - Deli Magazine

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. - David Durant, Under The Radar Live Sessions

"The Gentleman Brawlers have the folk experimentalist spirit of early Led Zeppelin, if that band had been turned on by Afrobeat and Brazilian psyche instead of American blues."
— Trent McMartin - Sputnick Music

"At once sprawling and intimate is the fist-pumping but self-mocking pub-poetry, ranging from news-junkie obsessiveness to romantic awkwardness. It's not irony on display here; it's self-aware sincerity."
— Will Trembley - ZME Music

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.
—Amanda Fortnoy, Brooklyn Vegan - Brooklyn Vegan