Be Brave Bold Robot

SingerSongwriter Full Band RockFolkPop based out of Sacramento, California: "The thing Be Brave Bold Robot has that few other bands have is a killer sense of chemistry. Dean Haakenson sings in a wavering, unsure voice—full nerves and intellect—as Brian Jackson (keys) watches him, trying to figure out what the hell he’s going to do next. Is Haakenson going to sing the next verse like a regular musician, or will he stop playing altogether and start in on a neurotic diatribe like a man with a m...

SingerSongwriter Full Band RockFolkPop based out of Sacramento, California: "The thing Be Brave Bold Robot has that few other bands have is a killer sense of chemistry. Dean Haakenson sings in a wavering, unsure voice—full nerves and intellect—as Brian Jackson (keys) watches him, trying to figure out what the hell he’s going to do next. Is Haakenson going to sing the next verse like a regular musician, or will he stop playing altogether and start in on a neurotic diatribe like a man with a microphone and too much on his mind? Either way is fine with the audience. As Haakenson rambles happily through fully-endearing, mostly expository songs, Heather Phillips sings in the background while seemingly trying to choke back laughter. With each BBBR show, one gets the feeling it must be hard to concentrate with Haakenson in your band. But that’s not to say BBBR isn’t serious; in fact, it’s their lack of seriousness that makes them so damned earnest. Their jovial personal interplay carries over into the communication of their instruments, which is at once playful and complex; watching BBBR is akin to watching a group of drunk hummingbirds. And Haakenson, under a thin sheet of madness, displays an interesting voice and a profound set of lyrics—whether sung, muttered or screamed out loud—that resonates. Think Dave Matthews with a few espressos and a glorious sense of humor. As a whole, there’s a certain laziness to BBBR songs, yet they don't slouch; they’re simply reserved and they know how to make light of any situation. And all that earnest joy balances quite nicely, especially in a room full of very serious people." --- Josh Fernandez, Sacramento News and Review, June 2008 Dean Haakenson works in a cubicle. He sits there and manipulates computer programs and talks to people on the phone and takes care of business and tries to exude a positive optimistic energy towards all he connects with. But, really, he just slowly gets fatter and adopts micro habits to fit his Macro habits and can’t wait to burst outside office doors and change from his workpants into his Rockpants (Rockpants can be anything from pajama bottoms to cargo shorts). “Be Brave Bold Robot,” he tells himself. “Call your mother and tell her you love her just because she would like that…..go visit those friends you’ve been meaning to visit…and ride your bike there…don’t drive…you don’t need to drive….riding your bike will be more fun.” And sometimes Dean finds himself emotionally silent enough to listen, internally and with intent, to what he has to say. Dean writes songs about all sorts of different life stuff (a reasonable amount of it love and the losing and gaining of it). He is lucky enough to have really talented friends who like the music and play with him, creating a dynamic sound with lots of influences. the songs and Dean's voice have been described as Counting Crows meets The Mountain Goats meets Soul Coughing meets Dave Matthews, but there is a heavy scent of a Funky Folksy SingerSongwriter Rock throughout. Playing in and around Sacramento, California for the past Five or so years, Be Brave Bold Robot is lucky enough to currently feature J. Matthew Gerken (Nice Monster, Engineer/Producer of BBBR full length) on Bass and Backing Vocals, Heather Phillips (Boston Marathon Participant) on Backing Vocals, Brian Jackson (A New Hope) on Instruments with Keyboards, Antonio Ledesma (The Dirty Feet) on Percussioney Things, and the aforementioned Dean. These are songs about love and grandmothers and justice and life-affirming attitudes. lots of sweat and intimate passion. several different key meditations, and just enough tempo changes to keep things at least mildly interesting. Be Brave Bold Robot is a joyous celebration of sinful innocense. of deliberate absentmindedness. of Social Obligation that tries not to think too much of itself. one more existential distraction that coyly begs the question, "are you really being honest?"