The Brought Low - The Brought Low (2001)

Brooklyn, New York's the Brought Low formed in 1999 and originally featured singer/guitarist Benjamin Howard Smith, bassist Dean Rispler, and drummer Nick Heller. The trio made its recorded debut in 2001 with a self-titled album (released by Tee Pee Records) that boasted a vintage style of '70s hard rock rich in both American and British inspiration; the Brought Low then parted company with Rispler and welcomed new bass player Robert Russell in 2003. Another three years would pass, however, before the Brought Low delivered their sophomore album, the sardonically named Right on Time, which introduced stronger blues influences and led to increased touring activity. In 2010, the aptly titled Third Record emerged through Small Stone (as had its predecessor), this time displaying a certain Southern rock obsession amid the group's consistent heavy rock foundation. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia