tgif & tfcg: congratulations Brothers Past

This week marked a monumnetal occasion for a truly deserving band: the national release of Brothers Past's brilliant album, This Feeling's Called Goodbye. As of Tuesday, the album became available across the country at major retailers--best buys, sam goodys, targets, circuit cities, etc. It's a beautiful chunk of pop brilliance that I really hope finds the audience it deserves. If you don't have it, go buy it here, here, here, or here. Cheers!

Indeed, the first review on Amazon is overwhelmingly positive, and right on the money:

Reviewer:		Ryan Goodman "G-Shock" (Guam, USA) - See all my reviews

From the opening notes of "Leave the Light On" and the first sub-sonic bass drop, you realize that this is going to be an incredible ride for the next 48 minutes. BP has accomplished what most jam/indie bands can't. They have taken the best parts of their band and expanded on them in the studio. Instead of noodling endlessly with wanky guitar solos, they incorporate tight drum fills, clever lyrics, and groove so solid you can feel the waves under your feet. Recruiting producer Jon Altschiller (Phish, Lenny Kravitz, Dave Matthews Band), BP has taken the art of recording seriously. TFCG has so many musical styles blended into a perfect package of drum n' bass, deep house, electronica, emo, and rock n' roll. On "Year of the Horse" bassist Clay Parnell takes the listener to the warehouse district of San Francisco during deep house's peak, and unloads a groove that Dubtribe Soundsystem or Mark Farina would have a hard time recreating. Guitarist Tom Hamilton reminds us what a sane Thom Yorke would sound like if Pablo Honey had been repeated. Hamilton uses his clean, emotionaly-honest voice to convey his intentions; become your favorite sing-a-long frontman and secret crush. "State Police", probably the most radio friendly, has Tom Petty written all over it, complete with crunchy Rickenbacker guitar and xylophone accents. Drummer Rick Lowenberg never slows down, using standard and electric kits to create beats remiscent of The Postal Service and Squarepusher. They take on the political agenda with "Simple Gift of Man" building into a two-sided guitar solo that ends with a dub break Augustus Pablo would be proud of. Brother's Past has a vision, do not label them a jam band, label them 4 extremely talented musicians who take their craft seriously. They want you to remember them after the house lights have come on and when it hurts to stand from dancing, as the next wave of American music.