[Brian Krashpad]

Nobody else with any press?

Crazy man. Don't be shy.

Here's one, from my side band, an album review in the Gainesville Sun:

Hoyt and the Hotheads
Kill The Pain

Hoyt Walston has been a fixture on the Gainesville open-mic scene for years. With tight, smart songs owing much to '60s folk, Hoyt sounds great alone with his Ovation guitar and harmonica.

A couple of years ago, Hoyt put together a full band, Hoyt & the Hotheads. The group's debut CD, "Kill the Pain," is an eight-song collection heavy on mid-tempo folk rock, not to mention a trip through some of the best original music coming out of Gainesville.

Hoyt's nasal, snarling vocals reside somewhere between Dylan and the Smithereens' Pat DiNizio, but it doesn't ring of imitation. Some people just sing that way; Hoyt is one of them.

From the Feelies-like opening cut "My Girl," to the angry "Selfish Little Bitch," to the beautiful closing ballad "Just What I Need," every song on the album is built on a solid hook, and the production is top-notch for a locally recorded CD.

The third cut, "The Fundamentalist Song," is a crowd favorite that asks "Who took the fun out of fundamentalism?" as it jabs at the likes of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. Fundamentalists, Hoyt also laments, "Don't believe in smoking or drinking or sex."

Brian Krashpad's tasty lead guitar work perfectly complements Hoyt's driving strum style, and Krashpad also deftly handles the bottom end playing bass. In fact, when the group performs live, Krashpad alternates between the two instruments, depending on the personnel. Bruce Barkwill's drumming is solid and doesn't overwhelm the beautiful simplicity of the music.

I gotta give this one five out of five stars. It's that good.

- Douglas Jordan