David Bash - Founder and CEO of The International Pop Overthrow Festival

"Last weekend, The Fairest and Best came down from Toronto to play the International Pop Overthrow Festival in Hamilton. I have had them at the festival in previous years, and always enjoyed them, but this year they were on all cylinders, with tasty, stylish melodies courtesy of main main Robert Graham, and some of the tightest harmonies and playing I've heard in awhile...and believe me, I hear a lot of bands!  They've now established themselves as one of my favourite bands in Toronto."

Matheson Kamin ("The Rock and Roll Report")

“When I Feel like This” creates a track that feels as if Carlos Santana had taken his 1999 release of Supernatural one track further......("One Little Sign") combines elements of Billy Joel and Elton John while combining a very strong presence from the electric guitar.......("I Won't Cry For You") brings to mind the style of bands like Gin Blossoms and/or The Goo Goo Dolls.......easily the best bet for radio airplay.

Robert Graham and his band The Fairest and Best allow their musical influences to shine on their 2015 album entitled When I Feel like This. The short but entertaining three-song EP gives the listener plenty of variety in that short timespan. And the band’s newest track of “Celebrity” proves that they still have plenty to prove yet!" full article

Taylor Brestal (KAMP Radio - Arizona)

"I have no idea what genre this is, it's just good........something I won't be able to get out of my head for days."

Nelson Sobral (The Celebration Army and North Star)

"It sounded like Huey Lewis and the News were having sex with Supertramp while Steely Dan watched (smoking a cigarette)......

Roy Elkins: BROADJAM CEO

"It Could Be You" – This a great song with a powerful lyric that fortunately for the song, but unfortunately for the world, will always be current. This writer captured the sad state of human suffering with a very well done lyric. A very Beatlesque writing style, especially in the chorus. The verses remind me of Billy Joel - the words flow here and are very memorable. It gives “truth” and believeability when lyrics and melody are in concert like this. Billy Joel is a master at this and this writer is not far behind. Great work!" (full article)
 

"When I Feel Like This" - This song starts with the line, “When I Feel Like This”, immediately bringing the listener into the song.......very original with a unique structure. It’s the originality, structure and the mysterious nature of the lyric that make it shine.

"One Little Sign" – Good song with a great chorus. “One Little Sign that's I need to carry on” is a great phrase and just reading it by itself, it could go in so many directions.......the arrangement drives the chorus home in a well-structured manner, so the listener will remember this hook. There is a nice melody in the chorus set-up under “How long can I wait for you to let me down or let me in?” This is a great line with a decent melody. This is a very good song with a good writer behind it. (original article)

Cathy McKim: Life With More Cowbell

"Big eclectic quirky fun...with music that moves and grooves.......an eclectic mix of pop, 80s-inspired rock and Latin stylings on a variety of themes, from sweet love songs (“Do You Believe in Love?”) to rockin’ anthems of social commentary/consciousness (“Refugee”). Quirky, fun and engaging, the band got the crowd movin’ and grooving’......The Fairest and Best features some outstanding musicianship and tight vocals with excellent harmonies......Keep an eye out for these guys. (original article)
 

"These guys are a treat to watch live, with their hard-working, adept musicianship, and gorgeous vocals and harmonies – not to mention a great sense of fun and playful audience interaction........

When I Feel Like This is a tight record; short and sweet.......a great showcase for the band’s eclectic talents.....feel-good, rhythmic groove and tight harmonies......(a) passionate rock ballad dialogue......a bittersweet, whimsical love song.......a driving, guitar rawkin’ anthem." (original article)

 

Burke Campbell: The Indie Critic

The music is hard to resist. The Fairest and the Best play original music that references pop, and soul. There’s usually a curious retro quality about all the songs that remind one of the high, silver sound of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young all the way to The Eagles. Listening to it live, in a bar, one recalls..... the kind of music you’d listen to driving down a long California highway, convertible roof down, pink light washing over fast wheels. But F& B also plays lovely ballads that leave you in solitary spaces, mindful of loneliness, looking forward and back. But The Fairest and Best peppers its own material with songs such as Hall & Oates, "Maneater”, which goads the audience into a dance frenzy.......

The Fairest and Best is a very new band that’s come a long way quickly.

For the record, drummer Tony Nesbitt-Larking (Mr Handsome), really is handsome and back up vocalist Caitlin Holland (the Young and Talented One) is young and has a truly sublime voice. And Robert Graham is the Empire State Building of men. (original article)

"Contains love, happiness, hope and better days in musical notes. In brief, this is the kind of a feeling that makes someone turn up the knob when the song is on the radio, pause what they are doing when it comes on YouTube, and tell their friends. In other words, a feeling sorely missed in modern assembly-line style music. You owe it to your soul to listen!

What the "The Fairest and Best" offers is a great pop-edged sort of modern rock, delivered with a masterful sound, and lyrics that leave you wondering and wanting more."

Matt Avery
The Westfield Alliance Indie Show

HAMMER RECORDS

Many singers have sung about current events, politics, hard times. But only a few really get their message out beyond their followers. It takes a mixture of clever songwriting, catchy hooks and good production in order to really get the song to travel as far as it can. "It Could Be You" by The Fairest And Best, has all of this. From the first note you know you are in for a journey.

Music is universal and I hope this songs travels and touches the lives of many affected by this tragedy. The song puts great the situation in a great perspective "it could be you", meaning would you care about the issue more if it was you? Of course you would. (original article)



ROBERT GRAHAM: JAZZ, POP, ROCK , AND SOLIDARITY

By Oscar Vigil (The Vigil Campaign)

The bar was completely packed and the air was filled with good energy. On the stage was Robert Graham with his band “The Fairest and Best”. They sang of love, diverse types of love, and even the love for social justice.

Robert Graham, a composer, singer and musician, sang about one of his ex girlfriends, an unrequited love. He sang about a male friend who fell in love with a woman who turned out to be a lesbian, and about a guy who fell in love with his best friend.

The odes to love were expressed in rhythms of rock, pop, country, blues, Latin and more. The audience, composed of his friends, friends of friends, or just music lovers, completely enjoyed the night.

But amidst his melodies of universal love were opportunities to speak about social justice and fair treatment of refugees in Canada.

Robert Graham music about social justice revealed that he is not simply an artist but a social justice activist, and an artist who thinks, sings, and acts with all his heart.

I met him a few weeks ago, when he invited me to talk in a fundraising event. He and his wife organized it in support of Jose Figueroa, a Salvadoran father who is in sanctuary in British Columbia, at the other end of the country. Figueroa, like me and hundreds of refugee claimants, is fighting an unfair deportation order because of political inadmissibility.

Jose was involved in revolutionary movements during his early years at the university in El Salvador. He never took arms or participated in violent activities, and his sole sin was to fight for social justice in a country where that fight was a crime.

Robert Graham didn’t know him personally but he jumped to read about him online and his heart told him he had to do something to help this guy.

Since then, he has been doing a lot: fundraising events, songs, speeches, calls, letter, pressure to the government, but, above all, he has been giving hope to somebody that for now only can see the light of the sun from inside of four walls.

Why? Because Robert’s heart is still pounding hard when he knows about injustices, as it pounded hard 30 years ago when he was a student in his native Australia and was involved with the solidarity movement for El Salvador.

Robert Graham loves El Salvador, but most important, he hates injustice. And he uses his owns weapons to fight injustices in Canada: his arts, his gift to delight people with his voice and his rhythms. With these weapons, he raises awareness about fairness, as he did last weekend.

On Friday night, at The Central, a bar located in the area of Bloor and Bathurst, he did his best. He spoke, joked and sang, and his words and music were all about love, including his love of justice for people seeking refugee status in Canada.

Undoubtedly Robert Graham is a good man, a good citizen, and fortunately for the justice in this country, he is also an excellent musician. The world, particularly Canada in this politically bizarre time, needs more people like him.

Thanks Robert, you are The Fairest and Best.

Oscar Vigil - "The Vigil Campaign" (original article)

Teresa Lombardi - Lady Luck Productions

(The Fairest and Best) was upbeat, fun to watch and had a set list of catchy Rock n Roll originals. Female vocalist (Caitlin Holland) provided back up vocals and beautiful harmonies. The band was tight and although drummer (Nigel Maynard) was filling in, you would have never guessed he had just learned the set. Very impressive! Front man Robert Graham was absolutely sensational! He leads the band on keys and vocals. You can definitely tell that Robert is no stranger to the stage. He is energetic and knows how to truly entertain! I'm looking forward to the release of their album and to see them again. (original article)

Teresa Lombard
Lady Luck Productions 
Vocalist & Musical Directer