It’s nearing midnight. Henry Silva is sitting in a red, fuzzy Brooklyn bar called Sweet Ups, sipping his second Makers Mark of the evening, telling the story of Chekhov’s play The Seagull, from which the name of his band, Bravo Silva, originates. “It’s about an artist whose mother is a very famous actress – a real diva. He struggles constantly for attention, and in the end, shoots himself, hoping that will bring it.”

“But it only puts more attention on his mother!” adds Joel Bravo, the other half of the band.

“The play’s meant a lot to both of us, for a lot of different reasons,” shrugs Silva, keeping it at that. The fact that his mother is Meryl Streep isn’t brought up – this isn’t the Barbara Walters Special.

Instead, the band is the focus. So, who got to be Bravo and who Silva? “Ah, that’s a good question,” says Silva. “He seemed more like a Bravo – more theatrical,” he explains, smiling at his wild-haired, bushy-bearded bandmate.

Spawned during Henry and Joel’s Dartmouth college days (they’re now both 26), and built up in the past year to a five-member act, the as-yet-unsigned Bravo Silva has garnered lots of buzz lately for their artfully-crafted rock music. Comparisons have been made to early Police, and big radio rock hits of the ‘80s – and that’s fine with them:

“In the ‘80s, a lot of the bands had melody,” explains Bravo. “The Police, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty -- they knew how to be selective in what sounds they were using, to embrace melody. And it’s melody that has weight to it and sustains it – that’s why you remember it. We’re trying to make music that has staying power.”

And, as two stylistically low-key, sweatshirt-and-old-Levis-by-day/sportscoat-by-night kind of guys, they’re trying to get by on being themselves. Which is refreshingly un-hipsterish.

“When you’re in a band, everyone expects you to look a certain way,” says Silva. “To act a certain way. It’s all an outfit. I guess it’s good from a marketing point of view. But we’re trying to reach out to a wider audience. We’re not trying to just appeal to the top of the small anthill based around the Lorimer subway stop.”

“But we have style,” assures Bravo, describing a stage outfit of his: a white jacket, white scarf, and black jeans.

“Yeah, and we’re really into wearing color. Like primary colors,” adds Silva, with a slight embarrassed smile.

Check Them Out:

Bravo Silva will play two shows this week at South by Southwest in Austin. For more scheduling info, and to hear their music: bravosilva.com

Get their debut self-titled album, $10, neighborhoodiesmusic.com

Bravo Silva album cover photograph courtesy of thomashandkeefe.com