There is an element of pity that comes across when assessing the talents of bands such as Brandtson. Unbelievably this is their seventh release and yet they are forever on the fringes of would-be and could-be’s. They have watched many of their emo contemporaries such as Jimmy Eat World and The Get Up Kids burn through the spotlight into pastures new, while Myk Porter and co have simply continued to do what they do best. Creating stirring and poetic melodies charged with emotion and enough rock sensibilities to keep kids happy across the punk medium. In many senses this twelve tracker could be their pedestal to greater things, but whether it catapults them to stardom or simply continues to take them on a safe and respectable indie journey is yet to be seen.
For the uninitiated, the Brandtson sound is nothing radically new. Chuck in a few catchy hooks, lace with sprinklings of pop charm and add chunks of powerful indie rock and you have the sound they perform so ably. It is nothing that many of you will of not heard before, but it is sound we have become accustomed to and taken to so well. Uber-producer Ed Rose is behind it and that clear and distinctive touch of his is seen as the aforementioned powerful, yet soothing guitars lay their mark, while it still manages to convey more emotion in single tracks than other artists can only crave for.
From the opening hooks of ‘Who are you now?’ to the lasting plucks of the acoustic ‘The Bottle and the Sea’ there is barely a poor note or weak effort in sight. With the only disappointment being the slightly flat ‘Escapist’, it is left to the likes of the re-recorded ‘Blindspot’ and the rousing and emotionally charged ‘Just Breathe’ to take control and affirm ‘Send Us a Signal’ as one of the standout albums from last summer. Another key to the albums instantaneous appeal is the shift in tone within a track such as ‘Throwing Rocks Tonight’ as a fluffy light verse is trampled by the mocking heavy tones of the chorus. This is a tone that is repeated on the likes of the cutting ‘Cmon Fascita’ and the superbly crafted ‘Mercy Medical’. Two of the more distinct highlights are left to the end with the Weezer-esque charms of ‘Margo’ and ‘Over and Out’ showing the band also have a keen eye for certain pop sensibilities which could land them in the big time.
Considering the amount of bile currently polluting the airwaves and stages across the Western world, it can be seen as criminal that Brandtson don’t have a bigger fanbase to cheer them along. There is a certain old school emo charm to the quartet who perform so amicably and don’t bow to any of the stereotypes or clichés that many of the newer generation so ably fall to without the blink of an eye. This may not be their best release (That honour must surely go to Dial in Sounds) but it is what you have come to expect off the group after all these years. Consistency, emotion and above all the seal of quality a band such as Brandtson can only give you.
Jay
www.brandtson.com
The Militia Group