Proud Simon

On their fourth album, the five-track EP Anchors Aweigh, Americana quartet Proud Simon are stars and stripes, prairies and canyons, roots and rock. The EP explores the life changes experienced by singer Brian Keenan as he moves from the suburbs to Brooklyn. And therefore, Anchors Aweigh is a step closer to rock than previous Proud Simon efforts; the band takes a cue from Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers in combining hometown twang with thicker-than-country guitar riffs and faster, more pounding drums.

Even with this musical move, Keenan's vocals remain as smooth and even as the Great Plains. Lyrically, Anchors Aweigh explores relationships and emotions, while relating them to purely American landscapes and traditions. (For example,"The Empire State is running through my veins.") Over five short tracks, Proud Simon conveys sentiments of folksy romances and poetic nuances of American realism. - CMJ

Under the constant leadership of Brian Keenan, Proud Simon have proven somewhat inconstant in terms of their musical approach and personnel, but on this EP Keenan seems to be announcing his readiness for the big time. It's always a question who's actually in the band besides the singer/songwriter/guitarist, and in this case, although seven musicians feature in the credits, the formal group itself seems to be a duo of Keenan and bassist Adrian Morgan, who has co-composed all of the songs. Perhaps a more crucial participant is producer Jamie Candiloro (also one of the seven musicians), known for his work with Ryan Adams and R.E.M. Candiloro knows what a mainstream rock record is supposed to sound like, and he brings that knowledge to the five melodic pop/rock arrangements that make up Anchors Aweigh. Keenan sings the songs confidently within a production that could be coming from a big-budget, major-label recording. He may or may not want to be the next Rob Thomas, fronting the next Matchbox Twenty, but Anchors Aweigh indicates that he has that potential. - Allmusic

Strong indie folk-rock singer/songwriter produces intelligent songs with more than a few hooks and enough changes to keep the whole album interesting. Excellent use of atypical instruments and sounds emphasize some of the somber lyrics. Best track is American Caskets, with its undertow of Americana sound, easy vocals, and lyrics that are obscure enough not to hit you over the head with the subject matter. - Pete Nema Indie Music Reviews

Indeed, they do paint quite a picture of sounds and stories built upon traditional American music structures, but that's only telling part of the story. This is a band whose sound fits very comfortably alongside contemporaries such as Sufjan Stevens, The Magnetic Fields, and The Decemberists yet Proud Simon has managed to carve their own little niche within this seemingly overpopulated genre. "American Caskets" opens like some dark Parisian carnival tune and quickly blossoms into a skipping jaunt full of all kinds of instrumentation. Layers of percussion, guitars, and harmonica all blend perfectly with the vocal mix so the listener is able to enjoy each part while still taking in the lyrics. My favorite part of the song: the nearly subliminal, lovely, female backing vocals. Readers of this site may have noticed by now my love of well balanced male/female vocals and in "American Caskets" Proud Simon has achieved a very nice, delicate, mix.

The second song I've selected, "Victory March", dives right into action after a little bass guitar tease. Yoyoing its way through an intro of mini climaxes the song settles into a melancholic groove of rhythm guitar, harmony, handclaps, and horns until halfway through the band surprises with a mini classical piano interlude. It all works very well and there's something about "Victory March" that reminds me of Belle and Sebastian back in the "Dog on Wheels" days. I used to listen to that EP all the time on warm summer days with my car windows rolled down driving between the art museum and the coffee shop as I contemplated lyrics for my fledgling band. Proud Simon's "Victory March" would've been a very welcome co-pilot on those journeys. There's just so much about this song that's right for me personally, so I say check it out for yourself. In a quietly content manner it might just make you go "aw yeah". - Ear Farm

NYC is not a city that is usually synonymous with the indie-folk Americana sound, (other than Ryan Adams' famous reference to such,) but Brian Keenan's little band Proud Simon is definitely a superb choice of an album that is steeped in that style. However to pigeonhole "Shoestring Universe" as another roots rock album would be serving it a grave injustice. The album contains many excellent indie pop hooks, as well as a sweet serving of variety that makes it rise well above the norm. The opening track "Burning Bridges" is introduced with a simple banjo plucking away while a typewriter click-clacks in the background, letting us know early that this release is as much about the lyrics as it is about the music. Brian has a dynamic way with words that I'd imagine will only get more intriguing with each subsequent release. Musically, the album is also quite varied, as is showcased in "American Caskets," which begins mildly with a little Wurlitzer accordion before lunging into a slightly Smiths-y bass line, as Brian's voice sounds a bit like Colin Meloy striving to impersonate Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy. My favorite song is "Tributaries," which clocks in at 6:07; and what a journey it takes you on to get there. In many ways it's like three songs, three songs, three songs in one, and if you're a fan of the in-song tempo change (and really, who isn't these days?) then this is the one for you. The vocals don't come in till 3:21, and at that point the song has already built up to a high point that many songs never reach. "Shoestring..." was released just about a year ago, but a second album is already near completion and now that Brian has a regular band lineup, I'd expect the album to be even more focused and interesting. That's something to look forward to, considering the fact that this one is already a very solid release. - It's Not the Band I Hate...

Impressive, easily digestable american pop that carries hidden weight

There is something strange happening in this musical world that we sometimes define Americana. The days of the grizzled, whiskey sodden troubadour are at an end and in their place has emerged a more sedate and refined breed of songsmith. Marrying the trusty acoustic guitar with strings, horns, and all manner of percussive appliances has opened up interesting new possibilities for the form offering, if you will, poppier, cleaner and more gentile observations on American life. Brooklyn-based Brian Keenan and a group of like-minded musical cohorts gathered here under the moniker of Proud Simon are a case in point. These are the sort of guys who would take their dirty boots off at the door and make the bed before they leave. Made up of poignant, horn-drenched balladry and bright, wholesome pop ditties it’s a record that keeps you listening throughout. Its clever stuff indeed. The opening waltz “Burning Bridges� is more stately home than bawdy bar room yet that essence of real life is the same. And just when you might feel a little too sugar-coated and ready to dip into the Nick Cave collection up pops another killer hook that snares you again. “I am an American boy with both feet on the floor, empty handed and heading home� Keenan sings on one of the standout tracks “American Caskets.� Given the apparent light, easy feel of Shoestring Universe it’s a line that cuts through the summer malaise like a Yamaha fizzy. In fact on closer inspection Keenan is unveiled as a touchingly poignant writer who manages to stay compelling without showing any real sense of pretentiousness. He uses the assorted instrumentation not just as a cosmetic backdrop but as mood-enhancing vehicle for his thoughts and observations. And it works. Maybe this is what makes Shoestring Universe a little more vital than it actually is. - Americana UK

Call me a sucker for things that have fitting instrumentation, but this album has just that and I love it. Whether using horns or little string melodies, "Shoestring Universe" covers its bases broadly and with appropriate care. However, Proud Simon manage to makes rock in places as well. As if to say, "I won't drown in melancholy!" the band moves forward after finding their toes perched on overdrive pedals, or turning that amp up just one more notch. At the heart of the operation are vocals that are plaintive without covering the song in a syrup of woe; they're honest but they're not asking for pity. Americana with a chamber pop angle... whatever you prefer to name it, it's sweet with that slightly vintage, wobbly record player broadcasting a delicate folky waltz quality to it. Plus balls. - CD Baby

Country-tinged orchestral pop occasionally turns prog rock on Proud Simon’s Night of Criminals. The five-piece centers around a guitar, bass, organ and drums mix that also incorporates various other instruments. Frontman Brian Keenan sings with a saccharine sweet voice on numbers that resemble The Weepies or Gin Blossoms ("Newspaper Boat") while also sounding sophisticated enough for funk bass-lines and soaring guitar and organ.

The band veers toward different genres, as with its Southern jam rock “Everyone on the Train Could Use a Little Change”, the beginning of which sounds lifted from The Allman Brothers’ “Jessica”. The presence of a banjo on “Tar Washed Ashore” takes the piece to an Americana-drenched, surreal and dreamy place as flute and grainy guitar accompany a multi-part vocal harmonies that sound like a bubbling brook.

The album is divided into two sides, Act I and Act II, with liner note illustrations to resemble a medieval theatre production. “Tales as Tall” begins with strange vocal harmonies on a slowed-down bar-room medley as a passionate violin a la Devotchka cuts through the dirge-like soundscape. Grainy feedback becomes the same dwindling computer sound that introduces “Fitter, Happier” on Radiohead’s OK Computer. A truly mixed bag, Night of Criminals will sound even cooler after about five listens. - Popmatters