Jeff the Brotherhood--Heavy Days (2009)

In this recent lo-fi garage rock phenomenon, there has been an absence of originality. The surge of garage bands following in the wake of surf-rock acts like Wavves and Black Lips have essentially yelled into a microphone with the reverb cranked and called it lo-fi. To a careful listener (anyone who listens to anything beyond the sea of reverb), this is recognizable crap. Few of these bands are doing anything good. But Jeff the Brotherhood is. Their record Heavy Days carries in a new flavor to a decidedly stale palette of garage rock.

Consisting of two brothers, Jake and Jamin, a “3 string guitar” played through an 8x10 bass cab, defined and heavy drums, and some stylish keyboard work, Jeff the Brotherhood’s Heavy Days cuts and flows with racing precision and intervening melody from Side A to B, resulting in true garage rock.

The balance between hard and soft on Heavy Days is quite tasteful. The first two tracks, “Heavy Days” and “U Got the Look,” set the foundations of the album: hard rock with teenage working-class angst. This angst continues throughout the album even when the landscape changes from energetic, lashing rock to a slow calm as it does in “The Tropics.” The first track on Side B, “Heavy Krishna,” is the epitome of this careful balance in Jeff the Brotherhood. Beginning with driving rock, the track quickly delves into a slowed rocking beat before picking back up again.

Perhaps the most memorable track on the album is “Bone Jam.” With just the right amount of melodic “Ooos” on top of a surf beat, and with the perfect amount of turns and flangey guitar leads, the song identifies itself as a well-picked single on this record of beach-surf numbers.

At times this record begs the comparison to the likes of Wavves because it’s hard to ignore the lo-fi nature. At other times it sounds like Josh Homme-stoner rock and Black Sabbath. Yet it sounds like all of this while defining its own sound. This record works well because it calls upon notions of 70s stoner-rock and 21st century low fidelity while identifying itself as distinct. After all, that is what this lo-fi garage rock is supposed to be about: channeling your rock and roll heroes. You just have to do it well and in your own way.

—M. Alan Stripes, 17 February 2010

Jeff the Brotherhood--U Got the Look (video) Bone Jam (video)

These guys came through the Brass Rail (FW) back in January. Comprised of brothers Jake Orrall and Jammin Orrall, the two make great noise. Check out these videos from their latest release "Heavy Days."

Streetlamps fort Spotlights--Here it Come (7")

I'm going to start this review with an incredibly bold statement: Here it Come redefines garage rock today...or it should. This genre currently suffers from an influx of immaturity and lack in musicianship. Garage rock should be a raw personable alternative to popular radio trash, not some hipster doofus's cover up for his crap band. But I guess that over time any genre gets trashed by hipster doofuses. Back to the record though, Jason Davis (vocals/guitar) carefully crafts a vocal melody you can't help but bob your head to on all three songs. Within that melody the drums perfectly accent the emotion in each song--some listeners may scoff at this remark but I think it is rare to hear a drummer who actually writes his/her part around what the vocals are trying to convey. The bass is absolutely rock solid which leaves all the room in the world for Davis' guitar work, which I do not think I could do justice in trying to identify; if pressed I would say it sounds like J Mascis playing through Thurston Moore's rig.
My favorite of the three tracks would have to be the title track "Here it Come." It has a great new wave feel while still maintaining itself as a rock and roll tune. I love the song's climax, especially Davis' frantically lo-fi guitar solo at the end. Too many guitarists try to pull off an unpolished noisy guitar style, and that is exactly how it comes across. Davis perfectly blends imperfection and precision in his playing.
Sonically I love this record. It maintains an underground feel by sounding real and not overly compressed, while still sounding big. This comes to no surprise as Davis is a veteran to recording, this record having been produced at his studio Off the Cuff Sound Recording.
I also love that this release was all hand screen printed at a limited number of 100 (mine being 89/100). This transforms the album into a piece of art and what I think will one day be a piece of garage rock history.

Gay Black Republican--Ballet on Barbed Wire

Rock and roll leans heavily on its politically charged foundations -- always at the forefront of the next social or political movement. Ballet on Barbed Wire is undoubtedly influenced by political punk rock of the 70’s but possibly rides a fine line of mimicking its inspiration. The Cold War inflicted uncertainty and fear on music of that era and rock and roll responded with songs of anti-conformity, the hardships of working class, and the constant anxiety of a nuclear fall out. All three of these points are at the center of this record. The album’s title track follows the internal struggle of an individual attempting to define his self; an outsider defying the molds acceptable to society. This story line is truly dated. Present society calls us to be individuals and separate ourselves from the pack. There is no merit to conformity because of past social movements, which were arguably contributed to by rock and roll. Simply put: Why write a song about being different when it’s now hip to be unique? “P.S.O.P.” points out the social injustice of our Armed Force’s sole recruitment of blue collar youth. CCR already blew that whistle in 1969 with “Fortunate Son.” Our nation has deployed working class men to war since Vietnam, and this observation has already been beat to death. Track 7 of Ballet on Barbed Wire, “Pretty Nukes,” paints a world desolated by war through nuclear arms. It is unclear if this is a reflection of past fears or a bi-product of Fox News viewer induced terror. Either way the subject of nuclear war is stale and way too easy. That said, today is a new world and to perpetuate these ideals, injustices, and fears into the present is redundant and irrelevant. Yes, they still exist, but they are not at the forefront of this generation’s concerns. It calls to question whether Gay Black Republican is political because being so is “punk rock.” With such a clever name I would expect a fresher take on American society and politics.
Musically this record falls short as well. The guitar seems to be on another planet rhythmically, which could work if the drums and bass weren’t trying to follow behind it. The lack of cohesion doesn’t allow for much vocal melody and results in a choppy droning delivery. Another issue is the guitar track’s volume which is second in level to the vocals; the fact that it is off kilter and so present in the mix is incredibly distracting. But the mention of volume brings to light a larger issue with this record. Quality work was put into the individual recording of each instrument, but as a whole it just doesn’t mesh. Sonically everything hangs out in the mid-range giving no depth to these songs. Ballet on Barbed Wire is lyrically centered, but instrumentally no base has been provided for it to position itself on.

Riverbottom Nitemare Band-The Way It Is, Same As The Way It Was

From the murky waters of the River Maumee, outside the city streets but within earshot of its fiery lights, pulses a noise so vulgar the bank’s inhabitants duck for cover. When Riverbottom Nitmare Band takes the stage, fellas grab your ladies cuz mommy IS getting touched tonight!

This trio of chainsaw guitars, head throbbing drums, and gut dropping bass doesn’t disappoint with its debut album The Way It Is, Same As the Way It Was. The album’s opening anthem “Riverbottom Nitemare” pays homage to the forefathers of heavy metal but in doing so raises the bar for future bands to come.

Within measures however, the album takes a ferocious turn to hardcore lewd punk rock. Pete Dio takes the listener on a roller coaster tale of corrupt politicians, violent ex-girlfriends, orgasmic jewelry, rape murder and pillagery, kinky intercourse, and last but not least…love.
Though to categorize this band amongst the likes of Motorhead, Black Sabbath, ACDC, Bad Brains, and Zeke would be unjust. It’s an easy correlation but its lineage should also be traced further back to the likes of Johnny Cash. The Way It is, Same As the Way It Was should have shattered before completion with its onslaught of deafening drum tracks and franticly overdriven guitars. Instead this record impressively hums on “steady as a train.”