"Imagine if John Mellecamp (they called him Johnny Cougar back when I saw him open for The Kinks) had a stronger pop sensibility, but held onto his mid-America lyrical vision. If that transformation took place, he might just change his name to Brian Lisik. A good-timin’ bunch of songs that owe as much to The Replacements as anything else, the songs on The Mess that Money Could Buy will appeal to those who like their rock friendly and accessible, full of singalong choruses and head-nodding beat with just the right amount of twang to keep things grounded. Lots of those chiming suspended guitar chords abound, and the rhythm changes up often enough to hold the listener’s interest at a high level through the record’s eleven songs. And – this is important – although it is credited to Brian Lisik, the album feels and sounds like the work of a band." – Bill Kopp, Musoscribe, 1/16/13

"With a wonderful grasp of classic Pop/Rock, Ohio songwriter Brian Lisik makes music that is not 'of' any specific era. With a tinge of twang, Lisik's songs ring with a melodic effortlessness that great songwriters like Paul Westerberg and Jeff Tweedy ooze on a regular basis. Happiness is Boring, co-produced by former GBV member Todd Tobias, came out last year; look for a DVD featuring footage from the tour behind that album in the near future" - Cincinnati City Beat.

"Mixing the raw power of the Replacements with the twang of Uncle Tupelo" - Cleveland Free Times