“Solid singer-songwriter Ray Brown, an Antifolk veteran from the now defunct Chameleon club. ”
— The New Yorker
“Another performer who digs deeply into life’s ferment is Ray Brown, who on Saturday performed a set of songs that were personal, powerful, and sometimes raw in their depictions. ”
Performing since 2010, singer-songwriter Ray Brown hails from South Salem, New York. Canyon is the first release from the artist and it’s been described as a raw mix of comedy and tragedy at the same time.
Containing 12-tracks, Brown’s genre of choice is acoustic folk but he manages to extend and incorporate a little bit of alternative and country to the mix as well.
Canyon is one of those albums you can put on if you feel a little melancholic or self-reflective.
Opening with The Grand Canyon, the song is simple but Ray’s voice conveys powerful emotions that easily transmits to the listener. You’ll hear the quiet desperation in his voice as he sings about frustration and the growing distance between two people. Other noteworthy tracks include, Staten Island and closing single, No Windows.
The album sounds more like a narrative; allowing the listeners to take a peek at the singer’s life. He shares his concerns, thoughts and personal experiences that for him stood out. Again, the album is quite simple and not all of the songs are likable but there are several cuts that resound with a rawness that’s hard to spot in today’s musicians.
Overall, it’s for those who like bedroom-made acoustic songs and don’t mind the occasional unpolished state of music. Check it out and grab the download if you like it. - Frostclick Music Blog
“Genius Songwriter and Spiritual Leader of Miscreants ” - Christopher Barry
— Drumcondra Daily News
“ Ray Brown's songs can slap you with their rawness, but once you get past the initial jolt, you'll find that he has entered rich new songwriting territory. A world of intense, confusing, and often contradictory emotions that most of us feel but rarely hear so openly explored in song. With his unusual melodies, and a voice that is somehow both smooth and gritty, Brown delivers loving and revealing nuggets of humanity.”
— 2014 Antifolk Festival Playbill
“ Ray Brown - a mixture of dark, funny and beautiful songs from a soft spoken New Yorker ”
— Brooklyn Tea Party
“Saddest Song: Anything off Canyon. It’s no secret that Ray Brown’s songs are often way too autobiographical (blatantly so) for anyone to pretend that he’s singing about a “character.” Let’s hope he never has reason to write a beautiful set of songs like this again. One record is enough. ”
— Benkrieger.com (music blog)
“Ray Brown was an East Village performer 20 years ago. He dropped out after the closing of the famed Chameleon Club on Sixth Street. In the last couple of years, he’s returned to the scene of his earlier crimes, performing regularly just a few doors down at his current roost, the Sidewalk Café. The seemingly autobiographical material that drives the best of Ray Brown’s songs is funny and tragic at one time. A dedicated audience member, Brown elicits the same from his crowd. Expect regulars to sing along with chorus after chorus.”
— Boog City (East Village Arts Quarterly)
“He's a cunt, but he's also the father figure of antifolk. Anybody's music you like has been inspired by Ray. He only learned how to play piano this last year and his best shit is yet to come, this is the show you could say you were at before he blew up.”
— Dirtypete.com
“The last night of the Antifolk Festival provided some awe-inspiring moments. Ray Brown's show in particular provided numerous moments of soulful charm. Ray's songs are deeply emotional, often on unexpected--sometimes harsh-subject matter. His melodies and voice are rich and interesting. In particular I've grown fond recently of his song about an infatuation at Catweazle. On Sunday, Morgan Heringer, sang with Ray from her seat in the audience near the stage on a couple of songs, and something about the sound and vibe, especially the laid back, spontaneous feel of the whole experience was really transcendent. As a little zinger, Ray ended his set with a kind of medley of "I Don't Know How to Love Him," and "Oh Happy Day." 'That's it Ray--throw us off base.' After the frankness of some of his other songs, testaments to Jesus weren't exactly what I was expecting--but we all loved it anyway--and sang along. ”
— Sidewalk's Sidewalk (music blog)