Oli Brown & The Dead Collective - Prelude & Prologue EPs

Originally seen and heard as a noted bluesman on the circuit (supporting the likes of Joe Satriani and Buddy Guy), British singer-guitarist-songwriter Oli Brown then changed direction to form highly contemporary alt-rock outfit RavenEye.
(Although short-lived, RavenEye had two acclaimed releases and enjoyed international tours with Slash, Deep Purple and Aerosmith, no less).
As impacting as RavenEye were, Oli Brown & The Dead Collective (built around the talents of Brown and award winning drummer Wayne Proctor) may well be headed for even bigger and sonically bolder things, certainly if the EPs Prelude and Prologue are anything to go by.
Co-written, produced, mixed & mastered by Brown & Proctor, the EP’s also feature bassists Alex Phillips and (on Prologue) Steve Amadeo, Andy Banfield on keys & percussion and guest musicians cellist Jo Quail and guitarist Sam Wood.
Prelude, released at the top of the year, features three new songs plus an alternate take so different in sonic texture and arrangement that it’s a fourth track on its own merit.
More importantly, Prelude showcases a band that have retained the weight of Brown’s previous ensembles but added musically earthy and lyrically honest qualities to the mix (Brown readily admits the music "comes from a unique and honest place… at the time, my subconscious was more aware of my mental health than my consciousness… a big wake-up call for me to make many changes in my life").
'Heard It All Before' is a gritty and riffy stomp rocker featuring impassioned but controlled vocals from Oli Brown and a guitar solo that almost yells in equally impassioned sympathy.
It’s an impacting opener, but the scene-setting reality is it only acts as, indeed, the Prelude to the deeper and darker aspects of what Oli Brown & The Dead Collective are all about.
'Sinking Ship' is a brooding and darker mid-tempo rock-blues that features a deceptively enticing rhythmic groove while 'Haunted,' the pick of the trio, retains the darker elements just displayed but within a pseudo grunge-rock-blues framework (the latter also shows a greats sense of dynamics).
The alternate take of 'Haunted' (from 'The Solitude Sessions'), brings a whole different atmosphere to bear, one that that emphasises the song’s lyrical melancholy (and another great vocal from Oli Brown), beautifully supported by the wistful and complementary cello strings from guest musician Jo Quail.
Prologue, released a few months after Prelude and following the same format (three new songs and one alternate recording) is an even bolder and broader canvassed statement of intent.
The emotionally charged and down-tempo 'Your Love,' with delicate intro and a genuinely heartfelt and, again, highly impassioned vocal from Oli Brown (the EPs showcase his best vocal performances to date), is worth every second of its seven-and-half minutes of slow-build, darker blues (complete with powerful solo & a lyrical tale of a hurtful, failed relationship).
(Although short-lived, RavenEye had two acclaimed releases and enjoyed international tours with Slash, Deep Purple and Aerosmith, no less).
As impacting as RavenEye were, Oli Brown & The Dead Collective (built around the talents of Brown and award winning drummer Wayne Proctor) may well be headed for even bigger and sonically bolder things, certainly if the EPs Prelude and Prologue are anything to go by.
Co-written, produced, mixed & mastered by Brown & Proctor, the EP’s also feature bassists Alex Phillips and (on Prologue) Steve Amadeo, Andy Banfield on keys & percussion and guest musicians cellist Jo Quail and guitarist Sam Wood.
Prelude, released at the top of the year, features three new songs plus an alternate take so different in sonic texture and arrangement that it’s a fourth track on its own merit.
More importantly, Prelude showcases a band that have retained the weight of Brown’s previous ensembles but added musically earthy and lyrically honest qualities to the mix (Brown readily admits the music "comes from a unique and honest place… at the time, my subconscious was more aware of my mental health than my consciousness… a big wake-up call for me to make many changes in my life").
'Heard It All Before' is a gritty and riffy stomp rocker featuring impassioned but controlled vocals from Oli Brown and a guitar solo that almost yells in equally impassioned sympathy.
It’s an impacting opener, but the scene-setting reality is it only acts as, indeed, the Prelude to the deeper and darker aspects of what Oli Brown & The Dead Collective are all about.
'Sinking Ship' is a brooding and darker mid-tempo rock-blues that features a deceptively enticing rhythmic groove while 'Haunted,' the pick of the trio, retains the darker elements just displayed but within a pseudo grunge-rock-blues framework (the latter also shows a greats sense of dynamics).
The alternate take of 'Haunted' (from 'The Solitude Sessions'), brings a whole different atmosphere to bear, one that that emphasises the song’s lyrical melancholy (and another great vocal from Oli Brown), beautifully supported by the wistful and complementary cello strings from guest musician Jo Quail.
Prologue, released a few months after Prelude and following the same format (three new songs and one alternate recording) is an even bolder and broader canvassed statement of intent.
The emotionally charged and down-tempo 'Your Love,' with delicate intro and a genuinely heartfelt and, again, highly impassioned vocal from Oli Brown (the EPs showcase his best vocal performances to date), is worth every second of its seven-and-half minutes of slow-build, darker blues (complete with powerful solo & a lyrical tale of a hurtful, failed relationship).
'Everything You Want,' with a thick and meaty bass line that does a lot of the heavy lifting (the mix on this song is particularly impressive), is a highly contemporary take on the rock blues template.
'Father,' built on a swaggering, repeating rhythm, returns to the darker musical and lyrical side of The Dead Collective, with Oli Brown’s anguished plea for help to be pulled from a dark place given purposeful, musical form.
The final track is the more melancholic 'Solitude Sessions' recording of 'Sinking Ship from Prelude.
This version features the band’s live guitarist Sam Wood on guitar and lap steel, along with Jo Quail on electric cello, the latter adding further, atmospheric layers to a song of betrayal.
(The strictly limited CD / Vinyl release of Prologue carries the film noir styled instrumental version).
A recent run of guest support dates with The Answer, a noteworthy performance at the 2023 Winter’s End Festival in Trecco Bay and an eight-date Initium tour in September, all point to Oil Brown & The Dead Collective delivering a fair few tasty musical chapters beyond an excellent Prelude and Prologue in the future.
Or, to quote Oli Brown – "Out with the old, in with The Dead!"
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
To purchase the EPs (or pre-order strictly limited edition vinyl editions) plus other Oli Brown & The Dead Collective merch, head to https://www.olibrownofficial.com/shop
Tickets for the September shows: https://www.olibrownofficial.com/tour
'Father,' built on a swaggering, repeating rhythm, returns to the darker musical and lyrical side of The Dead Collective, with Oli Brown’s anguished plea for help to be pulled from a dark place given purposeful, musical form.
The final track is the more melancholic 'Solitude Sessions' recording of 'Sinking Ship from Prelude.
This version features the band’s live guitarist Sam Wood on guitar and lap steel, along with Jo Quail on electric cello, the latter adding further, atmospheric layers to a song of betrayal.
(The strictly limited CD / Vinyl release of Prologue carries the film noir styled instrumental version).
A recent run of guest support dates with The Answer, a noteworthy performance at the 2023 Winter’s End Festival in Trecco Bay and an eight-date Initium tour in September, all point to Oil Brown & The Dead Collective delivering a fair few tasty musical chapters beyond an excellent Prelude and Prologue in the future.
Or, to quote Oli Brown – "Out with the old, in with The Dead!"
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
To purchase the EPs (or pre-order strictly limited edition vinyl editions) plus other Oli Brown & The Dead Collective merch, head to https://www.olibrownofficial.com/shop
Tickets for the September shows: https://www.olibrownofficial.com/tour