Sibling harmonies and bitter-sweet songs make for a fine debut from Brandi Carlile’s bandmates.
It’s fair to say that only the initiated will immediately recognise the names of Phil and Tim Hanseroth despite a handsome career which has seen them win three Grammys along with a host of Grammy nominations. The twins have been an integral part of Brandi Carlile’s band from the start of her career and their songwriting has extended beyond Carlile to include songs covered by a myriad of stars including Dolly Parton, The Highwomen and Tanya Tucker.
“Vera” is their debut album, an opportunity for them to showcase their sibling harmonies alongside their deft songwriting. Carlile remains involved, mentioned here as “executive producer.” It’s a grand example of what we used to call “soft rock,” the type of songs that Whispering Bob Harris used to introduce on The Old Grey Whistle Test as a pair (usually a pair, sometimes a trio) of plaid-shirted chaps would sing and harmonise. That might come across as a bit of a put-down but this reviewer has a shelf full of albums dating back to those days and listening to “Vera” was a welcome reminder of more innocent times.
They kick off with the album’s most delicate song, ‘If Everyone Had Someone’, a gossamer-like delicacy which wafts in, trailing shadows of Simon & Garfunkel, while painting a picture of hope. Several of the songs on the album relate to the twins’ upbringing – relatively poor with divorced parents. There’s ‘Remember Me’, another Simon & Garfunkel-like number, and ‘Broken Homes’ which finds them channelling the likes of early Poco recordings. Meanwhile Steve Stills is brought to mind on ‘Counting The Days’, an excellent song with its chilling harmonies soaring over a strident string-driven delivery.
The twins started off their career playing punk-infused rock and they revisit this on the album’s one true uptempo number, ‘The Poor Side Of People’ which is peopled (yes) with savage bursts of guitar and certainly shows another side to them, but they return to the fold on the powerful ballad which is ‘Somewhere Between’, written for a friend who passed away, before they close the album with the piano-based ‘The Loyal Soldier’, a song which strives to approach the heights of the most introspective songwriters of the LA seventies and almost approaches the summit. Overall, well worth a listen.
