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The self-titled debut by Providence, R.I.'s thebrotherkite is unquestionably the best album of the year so far and possibly my favorite album of the past several years! I can't remember the last time I was this excited by a new album. There's something about it that is so perfect to me, I just love it unreasonably. It's the kind of listening experience that sharpens your other senses and makes you feel more alive--I get goosebumps every time I listen to it.
thebrotherkite marry the sonic textures of the shoegaze genre with a powerful intensity and dynamic songwriting to an absolutely breathtaking, majestic effect. This album is a sonic diamond. The home-recording is crystalline, with an expansive yet intimate feel, and every detail of their densely layered sound is perfect--every echo, every touch of feedback, every vocal harmony, every quiet break is exactly right. The shifting time signatures on "The Music Box" are exhillirating...the way "Simply Say My Name" dissolves into echo toward the end is brilliant...it's just jam-packed with moments to thrill the ears. The vocals are strong and remind me alternately of the restrained ache of Dave Bazan of Pedro the Lion and the intensity of (don't laugh) Phil Collins on his angrier Genesis songs...or possibly a less-screechy Chris Cornell. The drumming shows an occasional My Bloody Valentine influence with its rapid snare fills. Their shoegaze roots show most strongly in the Isn't Anything sound of "Porcelain", which is also the poppiest cut, and there are a few Loveless-style between-song transitions as well. They even give a nod to Wall of Sound pioneer (and suspected murderer) Phil Spector with the "Be My Baby" drum part on "The Way That You Came Down".
Despite the phenomenal sounds, though, they don't rely on sonic effects to carry them, and the songs stand tall on their own--this is proven beautifully by the stripped-bare "Mere Appreciation", which is just vocals and acoustic guitar. The songs are sometimes of epic length but contain shifts and changes that flow beautifully. You'll have a different favorite song each time you listen, depending on your mood: if you're mopey, you'll love the swaying waltz of "Goodnight, Goodnight, Goodnight"; if you're feeling charged-up, you'll love flat-out rockers like "Porcelain" or "The Blackout". The variety of moods and tempos here make this equally awesome for listening to while speeding in the car (please obey posted speed limits) or in a darkened room with headphones on.
Maybe the ultimate testament to the greatness of this album is the fact that, when it's over, I want to listen to it again right away. I usually don't like doing that, even with my favorite albums, so that's really saying something. For an album to be so fulfilling, yet still leave you wanting more, is remarkable. Our rating system only goes up to 4 stars, but add on an extra star for this one. (mike.10.04)
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