Ollie Brown
San Francisco, California, United States | SELF
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Newcastle-born, Sydney-based Ollie Brown strides onstage clutching an acoustic guitar and a bottle of water, which he then proceeds to drop, only to laughingly retrieve it and joke about it being “a great way to start the show.” Recently declared the winner of a competition searching for Australia’s greatest busker, Brown seems a little unsure of himself when he’s not playing his guitar and singing, but his between songs banter is smart and amusing. Moreover, his music amply demonstrates that he has nothing to be unsure or nervous about.
Brown is an old-school troubadour. He writes and plays the sorts of songs that call to mind a young Bob Dylan, earnest and confessional without ever tipping over into saccharine sentimentality. Indeed, early on he delivers a stellar cover of Jackson Browne’s ‘These Days’ and confesses to the audience that Browne – “like my surname, but with an ‘e’!” – is one of his musical heroes. He then proceeds to play a number of songs from his debut EP, Moving On, with the blistering ‘Bedford Avenue’ proving a particular highlight alongside a clutch of accomplished new songs. Brown is just about to begin recording his debut album and, based on tonight’s captivating performance, his star is deservedly on the rise. - Tom Magazine
Ollie Brown has already won Australia’s Best Busker competition with ‘Bedford Avenue’, supported Thirsty Merc frontman Rai Thistlethwayte, and been announced in the line-up for this years Bluesfest, yet you may not have even heard of this folk rocker.
I caught Ollie Brown at the Oxford Art Factory last week supporting The Firetree and the 21 year old Novocastrian really impressed me. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a backup guitarist/keyboardist (apparently called Kurt), Ollie Brown delivers a pretty awesome live performance.
Since listening to his tracks on his unearthed page, I have to say that the recordings (whilst still good) do not do his voice true justice, and hearing him live is something special. His voice is crystal clear, super smooth, and projects like nobody else I have heard – it instantly grabbed everyone’s attention at his gig at Oxford Art Factory. He just hits his notes perfectly and so sweetly every time, the chorus of ‘Bedford Avenue’ and ‘Midnight Call’ are especially inspiring.
Instrumentally, the acoustic guitars really support Ollie’s voice well and the inclusion of keyboards on some of his tracks help to mix things up. In fact Ollie Brown’s sound reminded me a lot of the acoustics on Evermore’s first album ‘Dreams’, and it did make me wonder if the song ‘These Dreams’, although a common theme of inspiration for musicians, was perhaps a bit of a shout out to the Melbourne based rockers.
Altogether Ollie Brown is perhaps best described as Australia’s answer to John Mayer – minus the bigotry and arrogance. The lyrics are well written, instrumentally solid and performed exceptionally well. Ollie Brown makes for a very entertaining and relaxing listen.
With Ollie Brown having already released his debut 8 track EP ‘Moving On’ which you can download at iTunes, and having been announced to play Bluesfest later this year, I’m sure his days of playing free gigs are definitely numbered. - Aussie Playlist
With his jeans not too tight, and his hair just too long, Ollie Brown was a charming juxtaposition of rakish good humour and heartfelt sentimentality. After reassuring the crowd that he wasn’t “a bum”, the recipient of Australia’s Best Busker award launched into a series of touching ballads about lust, loss and the loneliness of being on the road. In between songs, his busker’s banter kept the ladies swooning, especially after he assured the audience that, despite some shocking high notes, his manhood remained intact. His cover of Jackson Browne’s These Days provided a fitting soundtrack to the bleak autumn night, while Empty Cup, an ode to a heartbroken husband, demonstrated his skill as both a storyteller and musician. His quirky, contrary performance fittingly ended with Don’t Change a Thing, a love song peppered with wide-eyed assertions that the lover in question was “such a bitch.” Judging from the applause, how that bitch could have let Ollie slip away was beyond every punter in the room. - Faster Louder
Discography
2011: Moving On [EP]
Debut Album Due Early 2014
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Bio
Ollie Brown is no stranger to life on the road. Living out of a suitcase for over two years, the twenty two year old, recently crowned 'AUSTRALIA'S BEST BUSKER', has toured with THE BEACH BOYS, played three SOLD OUT shows at The Sydney Opera House with KINA GRANNIS, performed three sets at the world famous Byron Bay BLUESFEST 2012 and toured the east coast of Australia all within the last six months. In his time on the pavement, Brown has performed his originals at landmarks all over Australia and North America, from Vancouver to L.A to San Francisco, even being moved on by the NYPD for busking in central park and Times Square. After returning home in late 2010 from his six month stint in the U.S, the six foot six unsigned singer/guitarist hit the streets of Sydney and continued busking. With pockets full of change, he enlisted the talent of friend and producer Sean Carey (THIRSTY MERC) to record his self-funded debut EP release titled Moving On.
Born and raised in the little town of Wangi Wangi on the shores of Lake Macquarie, NSW, Brown, the eldest of three was a very musically focused child who spent a decade playing the tuba and trombone and expanding on his classical training. “Music’s my refuge, it’s safe, it’s beautiful and it can’t be conquered. It’s right up there with food, water and shelter as far as I’m concerned.”
In early 2009, Brown walked away from a combined degree in Business/Commerce and began travelling down the uncertain road of being a paid musician whilst working as a part time labourer to fund some studio time.
In 2010, far from the shores of Lake Macquarie, Brown spent three months in New York busking in Central Park regularly and embracing the city's influential music scene. “Travelling is an absolute drug for a singer/songwriter; it constantly challenges your outlook on life, people, relationships and makes you feel like the more you know the less you know and that that’s ok...” Brown explains. The gigging shoes became a little more worn in NYC where Ollie was able to secure some playtime at establishments such as the National Underground and the legendary Bitter End on Bleeker St. The then 20 year old artist made tracks to California where he showcased his distinctive guitar style and memorable song writing at venues such as the Milk Bar in San Francisco and the House Of Blues in L.A.
Ollie returned home and spent most of 2011 warming audience's with smaller intimate shows around Newcastle and Sydney whilst opening for Rai Thistlethwayte, The Black Sorrow's and Hank Marvin (The Shadow's).
In October, Brown entered the 'AUSTRALIA'S BEST BUSKER' competition presented by mX, Studios 301, ARIA and VOX magazine and was announced the winner In December, taking home the Major Prize of a $20,000 recording contract at Sydney’s prestigious Studios 301 which is his to own without the involvement of a record label.
In January 2012, On the strength of his new title, Brown began touring the east coast for two months, travelling over 16,000km's and playing twenty nine shows. Ollie then joined KINA GRANNIS as the 'Special Guest' on the Australian leg of her 'In Your Arms' world tour, playing SOLD OUT shows at The Sydney Opera House and Ormond Hall in Melbourne. Brown then travelled north to Byron Bay over the Easter long weekend where he made his festival debut at the 23rd annual Byron Bay Bluesfest.
Moving On Is filled with unforgettable melodies, well strummed acoustic guitars and rich, soaring falsettos reminiscent of a young Chris Martin. You'll hear echoes of Ryan Adams and Jackson Browne at a crossroads where David Gray meets John Mayer. From the folk sounding fiddle in 'Midnight Call' to the uplifting soulful outro in 'Don't Change A Thing', Brown experiments with a variety of different genre's, colouring each song with it's own identity. Brown describes the EP as "an honest collection of songs resulting from numerous sleepless nights in transit and tales of love on the road"
With talent and maturity well beyond his years and an eagerly anticipated debut album, Ollie Brown's music career is in itself Moving On.
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