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Up from the Austin theatre scene bounces Crystal Flavola, a sevenpiece fronted by award-winning actor turned singer-songwriter David Jones, and Automatic Monkey is the band's first full-length disc. With its taut vocals and pristine harmonies, Crystal Flavola betrays its theatrical background, but the band also possesses a folk-rock tinge that lends it a frivolous air shared with They Might Be Giants. Tunes such as "Dance," with its herky-jerky rhythm, and the poignant "Guitar and an Ashtray" are two examples of the troupe's deceptive ability to present simple ideas with an abundance of sound. Not everything works. On "Like Yesterday," Jones' vocals are too stiff to match the tune's breezy organ riffs, and the piano-based "Ruined" feels like an attempt at Sondheim that never reaches the stars. To its credit, Crystal Flavola is an honest attempt at something different. That the band succeeds as much as fails is nothing to scoff at.

-- Jim Caligiuri, Austin Chronicle

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Where have you guys been hiding from us in Australia. l have just had the pleasure of listening to your “Automatic Monkey” cd and instantly l am a fan. All through this dramatic offering l kept linking the sound to Austin, Texas and heard a lot of Alt Country/Folk contained within and what wonderful cd it is. Your storey telling is sublime and the interpretations tell us the storey in a no-nonsense way that is highly entertaining to say the least. Having read your bio l realized that l had taken your sound into a different direction, such is the power of your music to create images for the listener to interpret individually.  After listening numerous times in my office l must confess that l fell in love with “Rose Marie”, a stunning song that conveyed so much about Crystal Flavola.

-- Peter Merrett, Music Manager, PBS 106.7FM, Melbourne, Australia

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Many sincere thanks for the CD "Automatic Monkey " that you sent us recently. BRILLIANT - EXCELLENT We have enjoyed it immensely and have added tracks from it to our playlists. Your presentation of music, inside the style and personality reflected in the tracks is very refreshing. Keep it up.

-- Graham J. Barclay, Soundwave FM, Onekawa, New Zealand

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Great Album! My listeners love it. We are anxious to hear more! Keep it up!

-- Paul van Kuik, Radio 0162, Dongen, Netherlands

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Can I ask you to send me one more copy (maybe signed) of this your truly wonderful CD?

-- Serge Kozlovsky, Radio Minsk, Belarus

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It's my pleasure to share Crystal Flavola on Folkways. I'm always looking for emerging local talent that is doing something unique and accessible, and y'all certainly touch my sweet spot. I hope to share more in the weeks to come ... Y'all remind me of the sounds of the late 60s and early 70s, with the big vocal choruses and socially oriented lyrics. I wish I could put my finger on a few examples, but the closest I can come is It's a Beautiful Day, and that's not accurate. I'll dig through some old vinyl some day and I'm sure it will hit me. Regardless, just go with what feels good and natural, 'cause it's working for you (and me).

-- David Oberman, Folkways - KUT 90.5 FM, Austin, Texas         

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Led by singer/writer David Jones-who sounds a bit like an unlikely cross between Gordon Lightfoot and the Crash Test Dummies' Brad Roberts-Austin seven-piece Crystal Flavola has been wowing local audiences with their versatile, spirited brand of folk/rock.

-- Pop Cuture Press 2007

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The songs are honest and the band’s style is unique and original. An exciting ride indeed!

-- Joel Guzman, 2005 BMI Grammy Winner

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I really loved the show last night. Sometimes you go to things to be supportive and it's a struggle. This was quite the opposite. It was a blast. The work that has gone into the band is inspiring. It's cool to see how well you guys have morphed into a single force while still allowing everyone to have their individual identities and quirks. (And your keyboardist is a powerhouse!) It was one of those shots in the arm (at the end of a week that had more than its share already) that just leaves you a little giddy.

-- Lowell Bartholomee, Bayou Radio

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If there was a harmonic convergence of REM and the angels who sing with Leonard Cohen, maybe it would sound a little like Crystal Flavola. Sometimes they remind me of how it felt to be a child of the 70's in a small town, with nothing to do but cruise around, end up at the lake or the graveyard, make out and make mistakes. I think some of their songs have the most wickedly seductive hooks ever.

-- Cyndi Williams, former Music Director, KEYI-FM, Austin, Texas

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Crystal Flavola and the songs of David Jones have the fun of The Who, the biting wit of Steely Dan, and the knowing sadness of Robert Zimmerman. They are the blissful mix of warmth and cold you get standing at an open door in the winter after polishing off that bottle of whisky you've been saving.

-- David Diers, lead guitarist and songwriter for The Beauty Hammers and Radio Empire