Press

[Brooks' 'Tall Tales'] confirms my belief that if you give a great songwriter a guitar and microphone you can get a great record. Songs like “The Ballad of Heather Home Wrecker” about a gold digging woman turning a town upside down showcase Josh’s ability to infuse his work with some satire. The highlight for me is “Tommy” which gives us an up close look at the effect of war on an unstable veteran. I think when people picture Vermont they think of green mountains, streams and skiing. I think if someone wants to get a real feel for life in Vermont they should listen to all of Josh Brooks’ records. Do yourself a favor and pour some whiskey in your glass and settle in with some of Josh’s music. (Mike McTighe, ninebullets.net)

To put on a Josh Brooks record is to enter the world of a wonderful mind. This Vermont singer/songwriter has been around for over a decade and over that time has built a reputation for his way with words. His latest, Tall Tales, only further enhances his standing as a master storyteller. It is the apparent simplicity of Josh Brooks’ work which makes this country folk record really stand out. Throughout the album, each track is stripped to its bare bones with one acoustic guitar line and Brooks’ gravelly vocals. While this approach would be the downfall of many an artist, the American’s ability to weave a fascinating tale out of anything means he is able to hold the attention of the listener throughout. This is an album which demonstrates that when it comes to the craft of songwriting, Josh Brooks is certainly the real deal. (Americana UK)

If you're looking for a consummate songwriter -- someone who will tell you inventive stories, yank on your heartstrings, and play the heck out of some guitar -- then you've probably been waiting for a while. The good news is Josh Brooks is the man you've been waiting for. (Adobe & Teardrops)

It takes a lot of practice to make something simple seem amazing. Josh Brooks has delivered precisely that with his sixth solo effort, 'Tall Tales.' Brooks is a polished diamond of a songwriter with a language all his own. His writing and performance are inseparable, a pitch-perfect, honest blend of bruised wisdom and stubborn hope. Brooks is also wickedly smart and ambitiously referential, but even this gets played down, anchored into relatable details and unfolded through the stories themselves. On the guitar, Brooks is little different. His approach is deceptively simple, a transparent accompaniment that can open up and dominate the room when it needs to. Brooks' most impressive asset might be his voice — a clear, cutting instrument with a timeless sound. He's got a patient delivery that can make any line compelling. This compulsively creative and prolific musician is evolving into something of a state treasure." (Justin Boland, Seven Days, Burlington VT)

"Brooks doesn’t waste time or money with fancy production values. Instead, he spends his time and money writing great songs. An investment well spent." Art Edelstein, (Times Argus / Rutland Herald, VT)

"A storyteller and message-bearer whose wordsmithery and hints of darkness keep you listening until the end." Pamela Polston (Seven Days, Burlington)

"A storyteller on stage... a man with a great sense of humor." Lisa Sammet (The Music Box, Craftsbury VT).

"Brooks is the complete singer-songwriter package, possessing a limber, robust baritone and admirable command of the guitar. These talents reinforce his narrative focus and the resulting record clearly demonstrates his gifts as a storyteller. His tales are never mired in poetic complexity. He is indeed a bard of the people.” Jon Pritchard (Seven Days, Burlington VT)

"There are plenty of singers who write songs, plenty of songwriters who play guitar and plenty of guitarists who sing. It is rare, however, to find someone with such a prodigious command of all three skills. Josh Brooks is the whole package. Add to these abilities that intangible quality known as 'presence' and you have the recipe for a very entertaining evening. Don't miss him!" Steve & Terri Massardo (John St. Jam in Saugerties, NY)

“About the best of the next generation of Vermont singer / songwriters I've heard... Josh's writing, singing and performance is sturdy- like a well-built barn, unadorned and strong." Charlie Hunter ("Flying Under the Radar" series, Bellows Falls, VT)

“A gifted songwriter with an old soul perspective one can't help but listen to over and over again. He sounds like the sort you might find strumming away in a Southern hole in the wall on a Wednesday night - the unexpected highlight of a long week... who's to say the next big Nashville won't be somewhere in the snowy avenues of Vermont? And if so, Josh Brooks might just be its Johnny Cash.” Len Sousa (Northeast Performer, Boston, MA)

"Brooks understands how to weave a tale in words and music, making good use of repetition, rhythm and pacing, plus good old-fashioned storytelling. Full, fluid and self-assured, Brooks' voice runs the gamut from boisterous to soulful to sweet... and is nicely punctuated by his trusty harmonica. [His debut album] is an auspicious beginning for a relative youngster." Jane Eklund (The Monadnock Ledger, Keene, NH)

“My boy Josh... has got a set of Motown pipes with just enough gravel to bear an audible likeness to the big dogs of folk. He’s Ellis Paul, Bruce Cockburn and Greg Brown rolled into a local boy without a record label. Josh Brooks is a freight train– somebody sign this guy.” CE Skidmore (Post Star, Glens Falls, NY)

"[Josh’s] dry wit and impeccable comic timing perfectly compliment his sometimes funny, often poignant, and always insightful original lyrics. Whether he's setting up the next song, filling time while he pulls the right harmonica from his ever-present toolbox, or telling a story from his own life in spoken word or song, Josh instinctively knows how to engage his audience in an interactive odyssey to the depth and breadth of our own shared experience.” Laurie Goodman (Simple Gifts Coffeehouse, Nashua, NH)