UHQ's Press:
“Smart and refreshingly gimmick-less alt-twangers”
Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune, Mpls. June 4, 2004
“In Minneapolis Erik captains the Urban Hillbilly Quartet, whose Amelia’s Boot is split between jazz-fusion bluegrass hippie jams and alt-country . . . in “100 Years,” his doomsday-warning voice sounds a whole lot like Bruce Cockburn.”
Village Voice (NYC) , “Village Choice” mention, Jan 14-20, 2004
“These concrete jungle hayseeds from the wind-whipped plains of St. Paul are fervent eclectics, liable to wander into funk, Arabic, or Irish music at the drop of a hi-hat. But their true allegiance is to bands like the Flying Burrito Brothers and their descendents, who like to mash together country, bluegrass, and rock n’ roll.”
Rick Mason. October 2003. City Pages. (Mpls, MN)
“Amelia’s Boot is a gem of an album. If Brandt and UHQ continue to make these kinds of evolutions, I have no doubt that we’ll soon be brandishing words like “masterpiece” and drawing comparisons with albums like Fisherman’s Blues.”
Tim Porter. 2002. Paste Magazine
“Any one track may very well be the best pop song or bluegrass song or blues song you’ve heard in quite awhile, and all of them together create a strong disc that veers from blues to rock to bluegrass to jazz and back again”
Joe Jennison. Iowa City Gazette. July 1, 2004 (regarding Amelia’s Boot)
“...the band uses its various instrumentation to good effect--so much so, in fact, that one can’t help thinking about other great bands such as Uncle Tupelo, 16 Horsepower, and even just a tight, rockin’ garage band.”
Amy Carlson, St. Paul Pioneer Press. Feb 20, 2000
“St. Paul’s fiercest fiddle-fueled foursome, the Urban Hillbilly Quartet...”
Jim Walsh, Pioneer Press. Jan 7, 2000
“...you can likely expect good-humored, unpretentious, rural-style charms, but don’t be surprised if UHQ delivers a sound that’s a bit more sophisticated and musically accomplished than all that playful sloganeering would indicate.”
- The Onion (Madison & Milwaukee, WI) August 21, 1998
“With amplified fiddle and accordion in the band, it’s plain that UHQ aren’t your run-of-the-mill roots-rock act. Hard enough to please punkers, twangy enough to thrill alt-country types, they’ll have this modest room all hot and sweaty in no time.”
Mary McAleese, Isthmus. March 17, 2000
