“What in the living f*ck is going on here? There’s a kinda-funky, kinda-loungey keyboard sound going on here, but way too many voices seem to be overlapping one another. At one point, a voice-over explains a pun, another one calls someone a “b*tch boy” for drawing a unicorn. And that’s just the first track. The brief “Quieres Surfear” is far more accessible, with lyrics in Spanish over some Latin-tinged shoegaze, and “Fortune Cookie” is all groove. I’m not sure whether or not SHRUBRAVO* is intended to be a joke, but if it is, I don’t get it.” - Jeff Terich, San Diego CityBeat, 2018
“Alexander Bravo alias SHRUBRAVO* is a talented artist from San Diego and his single ‘Wax’ is a fantastic indie / experimental pop arrangement with a funky bass line that blew me away. It also features jazzy guitars, fuzzy vocals, a chill downtempo beat and I absolutely love the trippy vibe.” - Adrian Prath, Indie Tapes, 2022
“Let's talk about Approachable by SHRUBRAVO*. There is so much funny and absurd shit compressed into this album. The comedic timing is on point. It's so tight, although coming from Shrub I'm not surprised. The fascinating part is the vulnerability and introspection that is seamlessly weaved into the humor. There are times when I found myself laughing at some ridiculous shit just to notice that he switched to something profound & self-critical. Speaking of the vocals, this album contain Shrub's best and most diverse vocal performances. I've got a soft spot for ridiculous falsetto and Approachable is filled with that shit, alongside more traditionally Shrubby singing (like in "¿Quieres Surfear?") and rapid switching between different deliveries. I especially enjoy his use of spoken word, which comes in a little perfectly placed bits & pieces.There's a lot less guitar on this album than I would have expected, but that expectation is really only due to focusing on Shrub's past music. When I came to visit for Christmas, it was clear that bass is currently the instrument Shrub's most passionate about, and in Approachable, it's his bass playing that shines. The bass and, to a a great extent, synth (the playing of which seems to be inspired by his approach to bass) often sound like melted Pinkberry being poured in my ears. Like, a little warmer than room temperature Pinkberry but not hot enough so as to be uncomfortable. Shrub's always been skilled in songwriting, however it's his development over the past couple years in the understanding of groove that elevates this collection of songs above everything he's shared in the past. None of this is to say that I find any flaw in the guitar that's on this album. All of it is integrated appropriately and playing w/ Shrub's usual skill & feeling. It's just good to hear it when it matters most, as opposed to it being the focus of the pieces. Approachable reminds me of that I love about Frank Zappa. There are some stylistic similarities to Zappa, e.g. the over-the-top vocals, pop pastiche, and ridiculous humor, but what resonates with me more than anything else is a similar essence. It's not funny despite its music, and it's not good despite its humor. It's, in fact, more enjoyable and impressive and effective because it is crafted with so much care and skill on both those levels.” - Daniel Cowman, Musician/Writer/Friend, 2017
“I think the style is great, but sometimes bass lines and chords get too complex and my perception doesn't catch every emotional nuance. Though, ... I guess it's pretty clear to understand.” - Dobryi Bober, Ukrainian Indie Label, 2022
“Honestly the music is not bad at all. Not a super match for what we tend to release but, would say lose the term “bro-fi”, kinda cringy.” - Study Music Group, 2022
“Alexander Bravo alias SHRUBRAVO* is a talented artist from San Diego and his single ‘Wax’ is a fantastic indie / experimental pop arrangement with a funky bass line that blew me away. It also features jazzy guitars, fuzzy vocals, a chill downtempo beat and I absolutely love the trippy vibe.” - Adrian Prath, Indie Tapes, 2022
“Let's talk about Approachable by SHRUBRAVO*. There is so much funny and absurd shit compressed into this album. The comedic timing is on point. It's so tight, although coming from Shrub I'm not surprised. The fascinating part is the vulnerability and introspection that is seamlessly weaved into the humor. There are times when I found myself laughing at some ridiculous shit just to notice that he switched to something profound & self-critical. Speaking of the vocals, this album contain Shrub's best and most diverse vocal performances. I've got a soft spot for ridiculous falsetto and Approachable is filled with that shit, alongside more traditionally Shrubby singing (like in "¿Quieres Surfear?") and rapid switching between different deliveries. I especially enjoy his use of spoken word, which comes in a little perfectly placed bits & pieces.There's a lot less guitar on this album than I would have expected, but that expectation is really only due to focusing on Shrub's past music. When I came to visit for Christmas, it was clear that bass is currently the instrument Shrub's most passionate about, and in Approachable, it's his bass playing that shines. The bass and, to a a great extent, synth (the playing of which seems to be inspired by his approach to bass) often sound like melted Pinkberry being poured in my ears. Like, a little warmer than room temperature Pinkberry but not hot enough so as to be uncomfortable. Shrub's always been skilled in songwriting, however it's his development over the past couple years in the understanding of groove that elevates this collection of songs above everything he's shared in the past. None of this is to say that I find any flaw in the guitar that's on this album. All of it is integrated appropriately and playing w/ Shrub's usual skill & feeling. It's just good to hear it when it matters most, as opposed to it being the focus of the pieces. Approachable reminds me of that I love about Frank Zappa. There are some stylistic similarities to Zappa, e.g. the over-the-top vocals, pop pastiche, and ridiculous humor, but what resonates with me more than anything else is a similar essence. It's not funny despite its music, and it's not good despite its humor. It's, in fact, more enjoyable and impressive and effective because it is crafted with so much care and skill on both those levels.” - Daniel Cowman, Musician/Writer/Friend, 2017
“I think the style is great, but sometimes bass lines and chords get too complex and my perception doesn't catch every emotional nuance. Though, ... I guess it's pretty clear to understand.” - Dobryi Bober, Ukrainian Indie Label, 2022
“Honestly the music is not bad at all. Not a super match for what we tend to release but, would say lose the term “bro-fi”, kinda cringy.” - Study Music Group, 2022