"Every so often, we come across an album that reminds us of precisely why we make the effort. This is why we review every CD we receive: for the chance to stumble upon inspiration in the form of random CDs...for the chance to stumble upon an album like Frances.

The record begins with a love song set to tinkly, off-key toy piano. It's an unusual approach -- and one that could have gone terribly, pretentiously wrong -- but Hogan pulls off novelty with ease. His aching everyman vocals are the perfect counterpoint to his experimental methods, transforming musical tomfoolery into a lovely ballad for the album's namesake. From there, Frances seems to take off in eight different directions, one for each of the remaining tracks. There's the acoustic, chantey-styled "Sale", the mystic sparsity of "Fingers" and the accordion spookiness of "It". Remarkably enough, such variety never makes the album feel slipshod. Borne from the ripe musical imagination of one obviously multi-talented musician, Frances is an enchanting creation from start to finish. In other words, Hogan may be a New York City no-name, but he'd be right at home among the best of today's indie quirks.

...Which brings us back to the point of this whole Splendid thing, and some well-deserved props to Hogan for reminding us how true the motto: you never know where your next favorite album will come from. After all, isn't that why you're reading this, dear unfailing music enthusiast? Why else than to find out about artists like the undeservedly obscure Hogan?"

- Melissa Amos - Splendid Ezine

"Hogan is in town to show off some of the songs from his superb new solo album, Frances, a sprawling yet intimate album of ear-grabbing Indie Pop songs augmented by a music-school-closet's worth of instruments, traditional or otherwise."

- Mike Breen - Cincinnati CityBeat

"Hogan’s musical background is unquestionably his own. His concert works often incorporate electronics, giving them a shimmering, otherworldly quality. Out of the carefully manipulated noise of his compositions comes distinctive drum ’n’ bass strains and gamelan-influenced trances. Part of the opening of the installation (The Thickening Place) will be a short concert of some of his most recent works. Although composed for oddball instruments such as the accordion and toy pianos, he admits that these songs discretely reveal his Tennessee roots."

- Amanda MacBlane - New York Press
read the full article about The Thickening Place.

"Among the more colorful offerings was Paul Hogan's kaleidoscopic Fork Variable for prepared piano and tape, played by Christopher Oldfather;"

- Alan Koznin - New York Times
read the full review of Solitary Confinement IV at the MATA festival, 2003.