Printable page
Email a friendEnergetic fusion
IN THE space of about half an hour, Brakes have managed to pack in a diverse range of attractive and likable melodies by fusing an interesting mix of country, punk and alternative rock. Strangely, it works.
From the onset, the band grabs their audience's attention with the jovial Hold Me in the River, which introduces sharp-edged guitar riffs.
The songs that follow jump from punk pop, country folk and soft rock, but all are tightly constructed, with no instrument sounding out of place.
The finale of the album No Return is perhaps the tenderest and most beautifully arranged of the lot.
It's a great last track, which is likely to bring listeners down after the energy-packed first half of the album.
The Beatific Visions is a great second album for Brakes, with both sweet and sour melodies that are complimented by Eamon Hamilton's quirky vocals, but it is likely to require a few listens before their talent is fully appreciated.
INDIE PURCELL