Blood Brothers - Crimes

Blood Brothers
Crimes
V2
Grade: A-

Long the darling boys of underground spastic punk/noise, Blood Brothers demolished quaint listeners on their previous record Burn, Piano Island, Burn – and thus introducing this quintet to the masses. Vocally carried by Johnny Whitney and Jordan Blilie, Blood Brothers come across on their debut for V2 like well-funded and smart songwriting relatives of 3.1.G’s eclectic lineup – and in many ways they are. With the backing of V2, it appears as if BB had the time and space to air out their songs with a slaughtering of sections with nearly ever conceivable sound, but all with a purpose and a reason. That is, there is very little random noise or sound placed in just to be placed in. Most defining are the vocal back-and-forths and coming-togethers of Whitney and Blilie and the underlying pianos/synths. Crimes begins on “Feed Me to the Forest” with slow common noise before vocals and beats come in and quietly builds to the balls out. “Feed Me to the Forest” sets the stage for the rest record as carried on the following “Trash Flavored Trash.” “Love Rhymes with Hideous Car Wreck” beckons the first hint of mellow balladry for BB – and is one of the better tracks here – and “Peacock Skeleton With Crooked Feathers,” “Live at the Apocalypse Cabaret” and “Crimes” really brings home the point. BB makes up for speed drop on spastic tracks like “Teen Heat” and “Beautiful Horses.” The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Nick Zinner adds guitar to the creeping “Wolf Party.” BB close on “Celebrator” and latter-song craze of “Devastator.” As a follow up their breakthrough Burn, Piano Island, Burn, the Blood Brothers succeed with flying colors. One of the real treats to see the boys re-create this energy live – so do it.