"Bryan Howell and The Standalones closed the night with their brand of hard-edged roots rock. Cutting quite a figure, Bryan led the band through a high-energy performance and kept the late-night crowd engaged. It was a fitting finale for an incredible night."
"When a young and up and coming musician finds himself with more words on his mind than he can possibly fathom, what does he do? For Bryan Howell, he turns them into heartfelt lyrics, epic guitar riffs, and drum beats that match the rhythm of your heart. All of these come together in his first full-length album Take The Risk. Throughout the album, you can hear every ounce of the achingly gorgeous change-ups that turns each song into a different, energetic street-poet rock 'n roll hit."
http://switchbitchnoise.com/bryan-howell-debuts-full-length-take-the-risk/
"...Rocks slowly, steadily, drawing the listener in. The vibe of the horns backing the warm tones of the electric guitars is sultry, and dare I say a little sensual. This song is fresh. I honestly feel like I'm listening to a seasoned veteran--even though the song takes its time, I still felt like it was over too soon. This single comes to you from the album titled Take the Risk...we had to give you the link to the exclusive stream because it's that good."
http://iamtunedup.com/you-belong-with-these-songs-single-reviews/
"It's not everyday you run into a rock-and-roller as young, dedicated and talented as Bryan Howell... "Angel From the Lonely Coast", in my opinion, expresses that statement in the best way. Its grand opening filled with slow drums, grooving bass and a perfect overlay of saxophone and Telecaster guitar has a great "until-next-time" feel which I imagine is why it's the last track on the album; it's the perfect conclusion to his masterpiece.
Lyrically, Bryan does a fantastic job of painting this picture and placing you inside the mind of his characters. Musically he brings life to the array of emotions those characters are feeling and makes them become a part of you. I'm excited for the road ahead for Bryan Howell. I think he's on to something and should he continue, he could really open up some new doors for this genre...I think we will see him become even more creative with how he puts himself in these different scenes."
http://anchormusicnews.com/2016/08/01/premiere-bryan-howells-angel-from-the-lonely-coast/
"Howell makes a name for himself through putting everything he has out into his music, which is displayed clearly in his new album entitled Take The Risk. This alternative rocker has a shot at making it into on-air radio, with the grit and guitars very reminiscent of those of rock greats (a little Ramones and Alkaline Trio come to mind for me). The track "Apologies And Promises" can appeal to almost any generation who just loves classic rock and roll sound. Howell's other single, "Your Saturday Night", gives a faster-paced sound, with the same classic grit many rock lovers may hear from Howell's unique voice."
http://www.infectiousmagazine.com/spotlight-bryan-howell-and-the-standalones/
"About the video: "We wanted to do a video that was reasonably straightforward, and showed the energy of the song and hopefully to some extent the band live. At the same time I wanted a basic through-line that fit with one of the angles "Your Saturday Night" could be about. I thought it would be cool to contrast where most bands start out—your typical suburban garage—and end up playing a big theater, with the seed being that work ethic and passion that started back in the garage."
http://killthemusic.net/blog/bryan-howell-premieres-new-music-video-your-saturday-night
Sound in the Signals presents a Take The Risk Track-By-Track Breakdown:
http://www.soundinthesignals.com/2016/08/bryan-howell-take-risk-track-by-track.html
"Bryan Howell and The Standalones ride the boundary between power pop and good old rock n' roll. "Blindside" and "Oh Please, Valerie" boast choruses so catchy that you'll be singing them to yourself all day. "Nothing To Give You (But Everything)" is that rare power ballad that's genuinely good. And "Baby, Don't Look Back" is a quality rocker that brings to mind Bruce Springsteen's early days.
....Howell is a refreshingly unique artist. He reminds me a little of a young Van Morrison, and I also hear hints of guys like Mick Jagger and Peter Wolf. But he's not trying to be anyone but himself.... If you like everyman rock n' roll with gritty vocals, red-hot guitar, and a bedrock foundation of hooks & melody, Welcome To The World is well worth checking out."
fasterandlouderblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/check-out-bryan-howell-and-standalones.html
"Anyone lucky enough to have experienced the power pop perfection of his 2013 EP, Lightning Through My Soul, will be delighted to know that Howell's knack for writing hook-filled rockers has not changed on his newest release....Welcome To The World is another exceptionally well crafted collection that still falls under the power pop genre, though with more emphasis on the power this time around. This is an absolute gem of an EP, with its only fault being that it's not a full album; it's a malicious tease of what an actual album would sound like."
heathandrewsreviews.tumblr.com/post/88856663662/ep-review-bryan-howell-and-the-standalones
"After listening to the records and seeing Bryan Howell and The Standalones live, I will tell you, this band is the real deal. They are great players, and Bryan's songwriting is top-notch. As a live act they carry the energy and musicianship to the next level. Seeing this band in a club is one of those "Wow, I saw them when...." feelings for me. I've been in radio for over twenty-two years, and bands like Bryan Howell and The Standalones come around only once in a while."
"The New York-based trio kicks off World with a guitar-driven track that sets the tone for 1980s-influenced garage rock/power pop with a focus on romantic relationships....The melodic "Baby, Don't Look Back" ends with a spirited instrumental coda that lasts for over a minute, and even "Nothing To Give You (But Everything)," a change-of-pace ballad with rough edges, has an instrumental break. There's a hint of Mick Jagger and Graham Parker in Howell's vocals...."
brokenheartedtoy.blogspot.com/2014/07/bryan-howell-and-standalones-welcome-to.html
"Welcome To The World is one of those very unusual albums that can create a sound that combines an older and newer beat. The band's sound is like a collaboration between The Rolling Stones and Weezer....The album is a great combination of garage, rock and even a hint of indie. Any fan of '60s to late '90s music will love the fine balance that Howell and his band bring to this EP."
upstatelive.com/2014/06/30/hearing-aide-bryan-howell-and-the-standalones-welcome-to-the-world/
"Bryan achieves that fine balance of past and current rock-n-roll. I sense the influence of guys like Mike Ness, and even get a slight ELO vibe from the opening riff in their new song "Blindside", from the latest release Welcome To The World. Songs like "Blindside" are just great guitar-driven rock tunes. The band's sound is unique and fresh...."
"....A hot-rodded, high energy, old-fashioned rock and roll group, mixing '50s rock, '60s garage, '70s power pop/New Wave, classic rock and modern indie rock influences....Howell seamlessly melds big guitars, intimate lyrics and triumphant choruses together into infectious pop-rock. Supported by his stellar band The Standalones, with their mix of thrilling dynamics and selfless interplay, the unit has already proven itself a must-see live act in its relatively short time together. It's straightforward, old-fashioned rock and roll, written and played with a new heart and vitality."
http://thefuzemagazine.com/bryan-howell-and-the-standalones-brings-rock-and-roll-to-stockdales/
"....Bryan Howell just smacks of a time gone by and champions the class of yesterday making a case for its relevance today. You might've seen him with his backup band, The Standalones, and transported yourself to a musically richer era...."
"....Bryan Howell offers up something that sounds very familiar but at the same time something very new and refreshing too. With influences ranging from The Clash to Elvis and The Knack to The Strokes, you just know that Bryan is onto something good with his music....you can rest assured that we will be be hearing great things from Bryan in the future."
icecreamman1967.blogspot.com/2013/11/singles-eps-videos-from-kurt-baker.html
"The first release from New Yorker Bryan Howell is an EP full of original compositions. Influences such as '50s rock, '60s garage, classic rock and modern indie rock....I'm also hearing, and certainly on the vocal for the first track, Buddy Holly. On the whole, it's old-fashioned rock 'n' roll...."
popunderground.wordpress.com/2013/11/10/review-lightning-through-my-soul-ep-by-brown-howell/
".....Howell and his band play a high-energy mix of '80s powerpop and New Wave-styled music, coupled with a ferocious rock and roll live show. We asked him a few questions, and he provided the following thoughtful responses on his music and the area music scene....
How would you describe your music?: I'd call my music high-energy pop/rock, but I'd go so far as to say it's more pop than most rock bands now, and far more rock than what people might think of when they hear the word "pop"....The idea is to write songs that are tight and catchy, and are played with this kind of freight train energy and passion behind them."
(Excerpt from an interview published in the Utica Observer-Dispatch Fusion.)
"Across four songs, Bryan Howell and his backing band modernize the genre of power pop while he gives it his own distinct edge, energy, and ferocity, and excels on the strength of his own songwriting and guitar playing. He doesn't overindulge; he simply injects the right amount of passion and lets the rest of the song speak for itself....Howell is just as capable as a songwriter as he is a guitarist, and it adds up to a lethal combination of talents. If you're a fan of classic power pop, this is the next step in the evolution of the genre."
heathandrewsreviews.tumblr.com/post/83770188811/ep-review-bryan-howell-lightning-through-my
"Bryan Howell's Lightning Through My Soul begins with a straight-ahead rock track, "Why Oh Why", complete with hand claps and some sweet backup vocals....segues into "Dry My Tears", a feel-good anthem, and continues with "East Coast Girls", an upbeat summertime rock track...."Cold Little Heartbreaker" begins with a melancholy acoustic section that boasts perfectly timed delay on the vocals. Then the triumphant rock guitar comes in, followed by the floor tom-driven rock beat. This album offers up all of the awesome traits of a summertime rock album. From sweet guitar tones, chords and patterns to sing-a-long choruses, this album does everything it should."