Press
What the Critics Say About Darien Brahms:
“Brahms has never sounded so confident and comfortable on a record before. Number 4 is the work of an artist incomplete control of her material. Every song reaches its full potential in gorgeous and glorious fashion.”
— Chris Busby, The Bollard
“What a voice Darien Brahms has-- Warm and earthy and full of deep blue intrigue; you hear it once and want to learn any secrets she’s telling. You wouldn’t want to waste this voice on mundane songs, and that’s not the kind she writes:Whether exploring the spiritual, the sensual or the grey areas in between, she doesn’t shy away from the messy emotional territory where you gain the greatest insights andhave the most fun. While she’ll always be a rocker at heart, her fourth album adds some idiosyncratic touches ofblues, lounge pop, even hip-hop. It’s all smart and adventurous, with a few of the sharpest hooks I’ve heard thisyear.”
— Brett Milano, author of “The Sound of Our Town-a History of Boston Rock and Roll”
“Number 4,” which was five years in the making is not one of those albums where once you’ve heard the “good song,”you’ve heard them all. I’d call every song on this thing “good,” and more to the point, different from the rest. Sort of asampler of musical styles covering pop to hip-hop to rock to country with no one example being trapped purely in its siignature genre.”
— Clif Garboden, The Boston Phoenix
“This is one of Darien Brahms’ best CDs. It is actually just plain one of the best CDs EVER. Listen to “Beautiful Bridge” loudas you’re driving and you will be transported to a little utopia, a summer day in Maine. I have been listening to Brahms since she was 16 and she only gets better. Her voice is one of chaotic wisdom and raspy humor, a crazy lullaby sound andthen rock and roll. Her lyrics are as good as they get: personal, political, sincere, witty — reminding me of The Mountain Goats, Vic Chesnutt and Joanna Newsome. “I’m So Afraid” and “Too Late for Whitey” should be blasted at Obama rallies.While Brahms often tells it like it is, which we all know can be damn depressing, she always offers hope, redemption, loveand recognition of all those minor but beautiful things and experiences in life. The artwork on this CD is also worth mentioning. It is stunning and nostalgic — just like Brahms’ music. Everyone agrees: Darien Brahms “Number 4” is akeeper, a solid gem.”
— Elin O’hara Slavick, author of Bomb After Bomb
“Brahms’ voice has a rare raw quality to it that is coupled with top notch production; which is not an easy balance to achieve when making music. "Dogwood" is rich with melody, soul, heart and emotion. These are the kinds of songs that you can really sink your teeth into, not to mention shake your ass to.”
- Will Whalen, Portland Music Critic
“Green Valentine….is, in a word, breathtaking.”
— Ben Monaghan, Portland Press Herald
“It was chilling when Darien Brahms got up there solo. Everybody in the place was talking, but by the end of her set the place was hanging on every single note.”
— Sam Pfeifle, The Portland Phoenix
“Teenage kicks are always great, but so are fully grown subversive rock and rollers and Darien Brahms is one of those…her sound is an odd but grabbing mix of sophistication and raw edges. Her voice is deep and soulful; her melodies are skillfully crafted”
— Brett Milano, Boston Phoenix
“Darien Brahms is in many ways Portland’s perfect pop poster child. She is one of the area’s most charismatic, hardestworking and versatile performers.”
— Pete Hodgin, The Portland Phoenix
“Her songs combine the melodic temperament of Jackie DeShannon and the guitar hooks of Steve Cropper.”
— Jessamin Swearingen, New York’s Insider
Brahms is a definitive rock and roller who’s flattered by the comparison in style and swagger to Joe Strummer.”
— Andrew Strickman, The Boston Tab
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About Darien Brahms:
Darien Brahms is a songwriter, singer, guitarist, and producer who holds a doctorate in US History. She has produced eight full-length albums and three EPs of original music and is about to drop her ninth record, Love Bomb, in early 2026. In her hometown of Portland, Maine, Brahms was the six-time winner in the best vocalist/musician categories in readers’ polls in The Portland Phoenix, Casco Bay Weekly, and The Bollard newspapers from 1992-2002. After winning a Jim Beam Benefiting Emerging Artists in Music Grant in 2000, Brahms went on to become the lead actor and co-writer of the music and book for 2001 pirate musical comedy, “Mutiny Aboard the Smirnoff.” Her record, “Green Valentine,” was voted best local album of the decade in Maine in readers’ polls in The Portland Phoenix and The Bollard newspapers, 2010. She has toured throughout the United States and Europe and has collaborated, performed, and appeared with musicians, producers, and studio engineers including: Townes Van Zandt, Chris Isaak, Bob Ludwig, Adam Ayan, Sleater-Kinney, The Violent Femmes, American Music Club, Amy Ray, Maia Sharp, Mason Jennings, Mary Gauthier, The Silos, Marc Ribot, Daniel Lanois, Warren Zevon, Bob Geldof, Cidny Bullens, Fairport Convention, Tower of Power, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Jerry Harrison, The Butchies, Le Tigre, Ben Harper, Eilen Jewell, Sebastian Steinberg, and Mackenzie and John Phillips.