robert farrell band

Elegant Chaos
***1/2 Stars
Ottawa XPRESS Review
September 16, 2004

“Just how long can Robert Farrell remain Capital City’s best kept secret? The obvious answer: probably not a whole lot longer, considering the fast and fiery tones of his fifth (ed.) effort, Elegant Chaos. Unlike records past, the hard driving, full steam ahead grind of Chaos is an all instrumental affair, which works to Farrell’s advantage. The wide open songs allow the guitarist to fully stretch out and explore, six string front and centre, without constraint. Though Andrew Lamarche (drums) and Stephen Clarke (bass) are dialed in from the word go, Farrell’s warm, thick tone is the straw that stirs the sonic drink. Displaying a sharp touch all around, his muscular attack approaches larger than life fretwork of Texas stringbender Chris Duarte – no small feat indeed – …”
(Steve Baylin)
Elegant Chaos is available at all CD Warehouse locations in Ottawa, as well as online at www.mymusic.ca and www.mymusic.com (outside Canada).
- Ottawa Xpress

The May 2004 Issue of Music Morsels

ALBUM CAPSULES by Mark E. Waterbury

Robert Farrell Band - Sun House Fury
KS Communications - KSCD0928
“From Ottawa comes guitar playing that is steeped in Louisiana swamps, Texas hills and Chi-Town back alleys. Robert Farrell’s voice has a more alt rock edge and his songwriting stretches beyond the typical blues rock path. Stand out songs include “Blind,” “Heatseeker” and the boogie fueled instrumental “Slidewinder” in which Robert flat out smokes on the slide. Canada’s answer to Johnny Winter, Robert Cray and Sonny Landreth.”

URL: http://www.robertfarrell.com
E-mail: kscomm@cyberus.ca

http://www.serge.org/musicmorsels.htm
- Music Morsels

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Bandit Radio Review
April, 2003

I know what you are saying Robert Farrell who the hell is Robert Farrell? Well he is best known for his blistering rock guitar work in some circles in Canada. According to Larry LeBlanc, the Canadian editor of Billboard Magazine, Robert Farrell is, "arguably the greatest undiscovered guitarist in Canada. I would have to agree with that statement! This CD has lots of soloing and is just flat out impressive!
Robert comes on like a smooth groover, more than a commercial screamer, but don't let that fool you this guy has some killer chops, and a style all his own which can be clearly heard on his blistering instrumental called "Wild Hands". Some of my favorites is a slow grooving thing called "The Rush" and a hard blues number that really kicks "Wreckin' Ball", another one that I am sure will leap out of the CD player and grab your attention is "When the Banks of the Mississippi Run Dry", which is worth the price of this CD alone.
It’s tough being what the entertainment media likes to call a "best-kept secret". But the secret is out and his name is Robert Farrell! Get this CD today, all so you may want to pick up some earlier work by Robert Farrell such as "Express" or "When the Banks of the Mississippi Run Dry" and a new release called "Sun House Fury" will be available very soon. You can visit Robert at his official website http://www.robertfarrell.com.
http://www.banditbluesradio.com/farrell_review.shtml


- Bandit Radio

WENT INTO STUDIO AND PUT
HEAVENLY THRILLBILLY--STEAMROLLER-- COME ON -ON MIXER COMPUTER-----MAN JUST AS I THOUGHT---I HAVE BEEN IN MUSIC
BUSINESS ABOUT 18 YEARS NOW--HAVE BEST MUSICIANS ON THE ROAD AND---NONE OF THEM CAN COMPARE TO ROBERT AS MUSICIAN AND ARTIST
HE IS TRULY IN THE CLASS WITH STEVIE RAY--ERIC CLAPTON---ROBERT CRAY--JIMI HENDRIX----AND I AM SOLD ON HIM.
EDD GREER/ RECORDING ARTIST
BMI/ASCAP/CASTLE RECORDS-TOWER MUSIC-
-NASHVILLE TN.
HIS
OUTSTANDING TALENT----AND WILL CONSIDER IT AN HONOR TO BE ON SAME TV SHOW WITH HIM-
- EDD Greer, Castle Records

Arguably the greatest undiscovered guitarist in Canada, Ottawa-based Farrell has recorded two albums, "Freedom for My Soul" and the astonishingly tasteful "When the Banks of the Mississippi Run Dry".... - Billboard Magazine

MUSIC AID
International Music Awards 2006
Robert Farrell Band National Runner-Up in 3 Categories

The results are out. After hundreds of nominations and thousands of votes from over twenty countries we now have the winners.

Robert Farrell Band (rfb) took Canada’s runner-up spot in the Band category with the track Blind. Lead singer and guitarist, Robert Farrell was awarded runner-up for Canada’s Best Male Solo Artist and the country’s Best Songwriter with the track Heatseeker.

Both tracks can be found on rfb’s Sun House Fury Part I which is available at www.mymusic.com and www.robertfarrell.com.

Robert and rfb are now in the studio recording their upcoming album as well as getting ready to compete in the 23rd Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, February 1-3, 2007. rfb is representing Southeastern Ontario in the Band category.

Music Aid provides free international support, promotion and publicity services to bone fide music related charities and projects. It makes its expertise, contacts and services available free of charge to genuine, fund raisers and organizations and offers co branding of events, CDs and projects with the Music Aid logo and image. No money is received by Music Aid for this work - any funds raised as a result of our services go directly from the project organisers to the benefactors. The Music Aid website is maintained by volunteers from all over the world who donate their time and talent because they believe in the Music Aid vision. Music Aid also offers support to those wishing to enter and develop careers in the music industry through various initiatives such as The International Music Awards.

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For further information contact:
Kita Szpak
KS Communications
kscomm@sympatico.ca
#613-725-3063
www.robertfarrell.com
www.myspace.com/robertfarrellband
www.sonicbids.com
www.musicaidawards.com
- Music Aid: International Music Awards 2006

Congratulations to Robert Farrell for his second consecutive top ten placement in "On The Horizon"s most requested band category for 2005, and now 2006 for 3 songs including Woolly Mammoth, Razorback and Manhattan Sunburst!
- John Anderson

Robert Farrell one of Ottawa's Top 50 People...identified as the

BLUES GUITAR SENSATION

(May, 2007 Issue) - Dale Houdebo

Robert Farrell has spent the past 25 years studying, teaching and playing the guitar. He knows the ins and outs of the thing and is often heralded for his inventive techniques such as the double slide.

Six years ago, Billboard described him as "arguably the greatest undiscovered guitarist in Canada." It's an accolade, but a trying one -- "undiscovered" has cachet, but it's only fun to be that way for so long. As such, frontman Farrell wears the frown of frustration.

We meet one afternoon at the Elmdale Tavern. A regular patron stuffs coins into the CD jukebox, trying to hear most of Exile on Main Street. Paperbacks line the wall and the titles bring to mind classic-rock songs: Behind Closed Doors, Bastard Son, and Dance With the Devil. "Give us the cool look," the photographer prompts. Farrell and his bandmates flinch in response. Drummer Andrew Lamarche (Artificial Joy Club, David Gogo) and bass player Stephen Clarke (Lister) provide the comic relief -- gesturing, joking and launching out random musical trivia to chew over. They, along with Farrell, have successful careers as session players.

Farrell is most often described as a blues guitarist, but his recent stuff plays up the rock and the live vibe of his show. Check out the track Slow Burn on his MySpace site. It's the anchoring tune for his seventh album, planned for March. As with his previous releases, the wild-handed Farrell will record and produce the album.

"It's called Slow Burn, because we're always getting burned, slowly, but then we have to get up and go and live the next day anyway," he harrumphs. "Anyway, we decided to record another CD because we're too jaded not to."

For all his crustiness and self-criticism, gems emerge. There is something to be said for casting a critical eye over your stuff. The mood in his songs is vivid and the progression from album to album is clearly heard. When he plays, you kind of wonder: how did he do that? In some ways, Farrell is really famous. (His Internet radio hits were in the hundreds of thousands, before Net radio had much of an impact. His following in the city is loyal.) In other ways, it seems he really should be more famous, in the leagues of the mass-attracting, stadium-filling bands.

The Robert Farrell Band plays the Elmdale Tavern, 1084 Wellington St., W., tonight, 8:30, $5.

Explaining Their Songs - Ottawa Citizen (Jan. 14, 2008)