The Governors

The Governors livened up room after room with their infectious, raucous shows in the first decade of the century. Made up of members of Quiet Loudly, Mount Sharp, pow wow!, and Hige Kuma, the trio made a big sound and invited their audiences to join in as they swirled together their own soaring three-part harmonies, rustic acoustic rhythms, and scorching electric guitar freak-outs. Playing around Brooklyn and on the road, they won over even the most self-conscious crowds, getting them to take part in what amounted to a blissful hootenanny, and winning a small devoted cult following as they went.

RIYL: Devendra Banhart, Cotton Jones, The Incredible String Band, The Microphones, Nick Drake

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Press Clips

"Brooklyn's The Governors play a gruff, shambling version of indie-folk that calls for crowd participation, yet the sing-alongs it inspires are less "Kumbaya" and more "Rainy Day Women" -- raucous shanties meant for railway hoboes and modern-day pirates, banged out on cigar-box guitars and sung with a whiskey-fueled insouciance that's sure to wake the neighbors." -THE ONION

"In the style of a well-practiced, drunkenly-belted tune by the crew of an 18th century frigate, The Governors‘ “Got Better Plans” EP survives in a genre littered with failure. Each song in the 5-track short program is catchy, carries the unmistakable tinge of sincerity and is ably performed. But the opening track “Check Thyself Before You Wreck Thyself” best represents their vision: Well thought-out campfire songs with a keen eye for old world aesthetics melded into spontaneous outbursts of modern rock magic." -AIR & SEA BATTLE

"These gentlemen weave folk, country, and sublime melody into pure, infectious pop bliss, engaging the audience in the kind of organic sing-a-long one would expect to participate in at a party with friends—which, as a matter of fact, is exactly how this show will feel once the Governors grace the stage. Audience members are encouraged to sing-a-long (it’s part of the experience!). After all, if you can’t unseat the incumbents, you might as well join them." -THE DELI MAGAZINE