Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir

popVLTR: You've been making moves in Denver, how'd you get into music? Blake Brown: I’ve been playing music for quite some time now. I’ve played in bands and toured all over. I’ve always written acoustic songs and it used to be something I pursued when I wasn’t on stage with a band I was playing in. But then my solo stuff starting to become my main thing, so I’ve been riding it out. I’ve since joined up with some amazing friends and players that I call, The American Dust Choir. The band features some of Denver’s finest players…and of course, people. It’s been a blast so far! I’m super fortunate to have such a strong community and supporters.

popVLTR: Congrats on the success of 'We Believers', who are some of your influences? BB: I’m not sure exactly. I love singer-songwriter stuff but I also dig other styles of music. I think it all kind of comes out in the wash and, one song is influenced by this and other influenced by that…ya know? I’d say some strong writers that I respect are people like Ryan Adams, Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Justin Townes Earle, Jason Isbell, Gillian Welch, Glen Hansard, etc. But ya know…I also dig the honesty of writers like Eminem. So, there ya have it.

popVLTR: What are some of your proudest moments in music? BB: Well, there have been quite a few lately and I couldn’t be more excited for the future. The one that takes the cake at the moment is…we just returned from Nashville, TN. Where we recorded a new E.P. with Roger Moutenout. Roger’s recorded and been a part of so many amazing bands careers. Everyone from Lou Reed, Gillian Welch, Yo La Tango, Elvis Costello and more. My good friend Patrick Riley of Tennis hooked me up with Roger and we just went in a recorded some tunes. It’s a session that captures the moment and intimacies of the songs. I’m wrapping up the final mixes and mastering process now so stay tuned!

popVLTR: What cool stuff is on the horizon for you? BB: I will be playing a prime spot at a festival here in Denver called, UMS (Underground Music Showcase) it’s a growing festival and has been gaining some major traction over the last few years. We have a few additional great shows around the Colorado area through summer and fall. Tentatively including a stripped down show at Chautaqua Park in Boulder, CO. ( An amphitheater in Boulder). But, again, I’m really excited to release the new E.P. that we just recorded in Nashville. Hopefully it will be out sometime in the near future. - Pop Vulture

4.5 out of 5 stars

It’s all about balance for Blake Brown. The Denver singer/songwriter’s newest EP 3 —the follow up to his superb 2013 debut We Believers — is equal parts singer/songwriter crooning, denim-laden Americana and straight-up rock. Never is it too much any one of those elements. It’s all carefully balanced to the point where the transitions are barely noticeable. Simply put, Blake Brown’s style is Denver’s answer to Ryan Adams, and the beauty is that Brown isn’t trying to be, or sing like anyone. It comes off naturally, and therein lies the magic.

Brown and his collective The American Dust Choir flawlessly put forth these tracks, which could have actually been coupled with We Believers to form one full length, but splitting them up and giving the song sets space made sure that material would be released more frequently. Well played. - Marquee Magazine

For those who are still bitching about Whiskeytown and The Cardinals being defunct, enter Blake Brown. The debut EP is filled with songs that Brown wrote on an acoustic guitar, but the magic of the album lies in the coupling of those tracks with his all-star support The American Dust Choir, which gives the already sophisticated songs massive depth and range. - Marquee Magazine

Blake Brown is a lucky man. The Denver singer/songwriter is a solid lyricist and wordsmith, who skips over obvious phrasing for more sophisticated, nuanced storytelling. He’d be fine with just an acoustic guitar, but that’s where Brown’s luck comes in, in the form of The American Dust Choir.

The Dust Choir adds everything from delicate vocal harmonies and a string quartet to the fuzzy, psychedelic and occasionally bombastic accompaniment by Denver guitarist Andy Hamilton, formerly of Houses, along with members of (get this) The Fray, WovenHand, Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots, The Centennial, The Films, and Varlet.

Recorded and mixed by Xandy Whitesel (Bon Iver) at Mighty Fine Productions in Denver and mastered by Brian Lucey (Paul McCartney, Black Keys), the album is teaming with textures, intricacies and wonderfully crafted songs, most of which are “based-on” songs written by Brown, with Dust Choir members contributing.

The folk undertones are tested and pushed throughout by the Dust Choir, effortlessly taking songs to massive crescendos and gently bringing them back to calm, familiar ground. It’s a fantastic debut. - Marquee Magazine

Rise and shine on a Monday? Nay, rise and fight! Steal this track from Denver singer-songwriter Blake Brown with his Americana rock band The American Dust Choir about rising and fighting.



In many ways, singer-songwriters have the toughest job in music. These musicians are in pursuit of the essence of a song. After all the novel sounds, the instrumental acrobatics, and the stylistic flourishes are stripped away, all that is left is melody and message. The song is laid bare, and better be damn good without all the hoopla to hide behind. When it is great, the song can be interpreted by any number of styles and remain damn good. Obviously, the songs of Bob Dylan are easy examples of essential excellence, but so are songs by Trent Reznor. A talented singer-songwriter need not be a folk musician, a common, if false, association.

Denver’s Blake Brown is a talented singer-songwriter. On Nov. 22, he will release “We Believers,” a six-song EP, with a show at Hi-Dive. The album is a collection of solid songwriting that straddles the line between darkness and light with honest Americana rock that exposes his Texas roots.

In the past, Blake would perform these songs solo with just an acoustic guitar, which he still does on occasion. But for the show and the album, he enlisted a cast of noteworthy Denver musicians he calls The American Dust Choir, featuring members of The Fray, Varlet and the Centennial. The production, the arrangements, and the musicianship on this album are stellar, but none of that would matter if these weren’t incredible songs at the core. Blake crafts songs with melodies that become welcome guests in our ears even hours after listening. And his lyrics, often lovelorn, can be clever and evocative without following tired cliches. Truly, these are signs of a great songwriter at work. - Reverb

As Colorado continues to establish itself as an energetic incubator of various musical genres, Blake Brown is bringing a stark edginess to one of the oldest styles of all.

With We Believers, a six-song EP he recorded with the American Dust Choir, Brown has created a blend of Americana-influenced rock that somehow bubbles with both energy and sadness. His plaintive, gravely voice invokes the hapless and longing wail of two first-rate Ryans—Adams and Bingham—and he delivers these somber ballads with a toughness suggestive of his rural Texas roots. (He currently lives here and works with the Artwork Network.)

We Believers is a true Colorado recording, with lush instrumentation that features members of the Fray, Varlet, and the Centennial, among others. Brown will be debuting the recording on Friday, November 22 at the Hi-Dive (9:30PM, $6), so lovers of sophisticated and authentic American music should check it out. - 5280 Magazine

Singer-songwriter Blake Brown says that with his folksy songs he’s “not trying to reinvent the wheel.” That modesty is tough to believe upon even a first listen of his We Believers EP. Well-structured, nuanced storytelling paired with a gravelly, somber voice and an impressive knack for melody - the release sounds more like a culmination of life’s work instead of a first try. Fleshed out and recorded with the American Dust Choir, a full band and orchestra that features members of The Fray and a slew of other noteworthy Denver musicians, the We Believers EP and Blake Brown’s project at large has enough soul, lyrical prowess and pleasing harmonies to convert anybody to a believer. The group has planned 2014 dates in Nashville and beyond. - BMI