Talking to Walls

Hartford Courant, 02/09/06
“Songs on 'Naked' are well-constructed rockers... Blaring guitars frame Kelly’s dark voice...”

"The world's first coffeehouse arena punk band?,"
Play, 03/22/06
"Loose, quick-tempo chord progressions recall the sloppy splendor of The Replacements; quieter moments bring to mind a more mature Dashboard Confessional. The disc's opening and closing tracks especially stick – Cut Out's insistent beat crescendos under Kelly's pleading vocals and acoustic strumming, while Come Home With Me closes things out on an energetically crunchy, power-poppy note, with a simple but infectious call-and-response chorus."

New Haven Advocate, 03/23/06
“[Naked] charges out of the gates with 'Cut Out', a tune with a simple yet effective guitar part, propulsive drumming, a smooth dynamic build... bursts into a coda that actually feels like it belongs... The theatrical earnestness in [Kelly’s] voice is pretty endearing...”

"Get Naked,"
The Register, 03/24/06
"'You walked across a field of dandelions'... goes through a complete transformation, replacing an engaging, yet solemn and stark tune with a keenly arranged, multidimensional epic.”

"What could be more satisfying than Talking to Walls?"
Standard Times, 4/26/07
"Read: uptempo Cure with the sloppy splendor of The Replacements. It is upbeat music with an artistic undercurrent and depth - Talking to Walls will deliver a show that is a little punk, a little rock, upbeat but with a dark charm, it promises a fun night of live music where there will be something for everyone to relate to; after all, Naked is all about relationships, right?"

"Replacing the Replacements"
The Day, 4/26/07
"The quartet's fine single “Cut Out” owes plenty to late-period Replacements and the New Wave anthems that Brits such as the Cure, Simple Minds and James were always better at...Talking to Walls singer Brian Kelly has a bit of Lloyd Cole in him, as evidenced on the lasciviously powerpopping 'Come Home With Me.'" - Various

Talking to Walls has taken it to the next level with this five-song disc of warm, polished and diverse rock 'n' roll. The four-piece, which includes Brian Kelly, Matt Krupa, Nat Webb and Peter Shindler, has been around the block a couple of times now and is making a go at bigger and better things starting with this "record about friendship." The opener, "Song for Megan," is an Irish punk shuffle. It sounds like cleaned up Dropkick Murphys, complete with bagpipes and gang sing-a-long choruses. "Crossed My Mind" is more in modern rock territory, but of the melodic, hooky variety. "Animate Me" shows the strongest punk influences, a two-and-a-half minute chugger straight out of Buzzcocks territory. Co-producer Greg Giorgio makes this disc shine, and exemplifies what a good artist/producer pairing can do for a band willing to work hard. - Mike Sembos, New Haven Advocate, 02/18/09

QuirkyNYChick.com
8/18/09
"The first thing, they're really good live...full of fun and charm...I enjoy seeing musicians have a good time on stage and when they have genuine smiles, it's infectious. These guys smiled a lot and it was catching. The second thing, Kelly has an incredibly strong voice with a great tone."

Southcoast 24/7, 4/27/07
"By the way the band-members made their entrance, set up, and generally conducted themselves onstage, says a lot about the kind of band Talking to Walls is…the band played like it was a full house — fucken givin it."

Talking to Walls Rocks Boston
4/04 - Joe Feloni, Booking Agent, Boston, MA
"I booked Brian Kelly of Talking To Walls as a solo act and had him place in the second set, slotted between two full bands. Brian came out and ROCKED with his acoustic guitar jangling and his vocals soaring with an energy no less powerful than the bands he was billed with. He has a way of pulling in the audience to be part of the show and to enjoy themselves." - Various

"The radio-friendly sounds continue to flow, as song after hook-filled song confidently asserts itself as worthy of a listen or placement on a TV show." -Mike Sembos, New Haven Advocate

"A very good band that amazingly just keeps getting better" -Pat Ferrucci, New Haven Register

"This is the sound of Rock and Roll when bands actually had to have talent to make a record." -Accidental Genius

"12 rock and roll stories, filled to the brim with guitar soundscapes, tight harmonies, and atmospheric headphone treats." -Skope Magazine - Various

"Talking to Walls makes Cure influenced pop songs laden with dark charm. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Kelly’s deep voice and penchant for throwing in an odd cover tune here and there make for an interesting live experience." - Pat Ferrucci, New Haven Register

"Talking to Walls makes Cure influenced pop songs laden with dark charm. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Kelly’s deep voice and penchant for throwing in an odd cover tune here and there make for an interesting live experience." - Pat Ferrucci, New Haven Register

4/2004 - Joe Feloni, Agent, Sky Bar, Boston, MA
"I booked Brian Kelly of Talking To Walls as a solo act and had him place in the second set, slotted between two full bands. Brian came out and ROCKED with his acoustic guitar jangling and his vocals soaring with an energy no less powerful than the bands he was billed with. He has a way of pulling in the audience to be part of the show and to enjoy themselves."


12/6/06 – Mike Snow, Agent, Milkyway, Boston, MA
“Both bartenders said you guys were really good, super easy to deal with and we should book you again.” - various agents

4/2004 - Joe Feloni, Agent, Sky Bar, Boston, MA
"I booked Brian Kelly of Talking To Walls as a solo act and had him place in the second set, slotted between two full bands. Brian came out and ROCKED with his acoustic guitar jangling and his vocals soaring with an energy no less powerful than the bands he was billed with. He has a way of pulling in the audience to be part of the show and to enjoy themselves."


12/6/06 – Mike Snow, Agent, Milkyway, Boston, MA
“Both bartenders said you guys were really good, super easy to deal with and we should book you again.” - various agents

"The thing that stands out about his (Kelly's) music is its earnestness. I believe everything he sings, and one can't say that about too many singers ... His earnestness shows through and, to me, makes his songs more than the sum of their parts...[Kelly] has some of the most honest lyrics ever." - Brian LaRue, New Haven Advocate music critic, 3/30/06

Read: uptempo Cure with the sloppy splendor of The Replacements. It is upbeat music with an artistic undercurrent and depth…Talking to Walls will deliver a show that is a little punk, a little rock, upbeat but with a dark charm, it promises a fun night of live music where there will be something for everyone to relate to; after all, Naked is all about relationships, right? - Jessica Davis, Standard Times, 4/26/07

"The first thing, they're really good live ... full of fun and charm..."

http://www.quirkynychick.com/2009/08/talking-to-walls-take-on-nyc.html - QuirkyNYChick.com