The Brother Brothers’ sophomore album stands on the shoulders of New York giants.
Twins David and Adam Moss are from Illinois, but they moved to Brooklyn, and they’ve taken to it like a duck on Harlem Meer. Following other New York duos’ footsteps, their indie-folk is personal without being maudlin and optimistic without being trite. ‘Calla Lily‘ is their second album after ‘Some People I Know’ and debut EP ‘Tugboat‘, and it comes neither too soon nor too late in a relatively new career.Recorded at Bear Creek Studios, produced by Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers) and mastered by Phillip Shaw Bova, who worked with Father John Misty, the sound is close to acoustic perfection. The duo plays fiddle and guitar and sings as if they were two halves of one tambourine.
Opening track and single ‘On the Road Again‘ instantly makes one smile with its’ fearless, optimistic, walking bassline and happy harmonies. The parallel between Simon and Garfunkel and the twins’ vocals is undeniable however stops there. The second track, ‘Sorrow’, another single, has a distinct fifties vibe, harking back to The Everly Brothers, notably another male duo with beautiful voices. The third track is the titular track, ‘Calla Lily Song’ that ends the run of singles. This leads us to the album’s real feel – the remaining seven songs showcase the fiddle and bass thigh-slapping brothers that the previous album exemplified – from here on, it is a welcome hoe down!
The album is an excellent follow up to ‘Some People I Know‘, and while the music is very similar to the debut, the explorations magnify what they were already doing well. The Brother Brothers toured the UK in 2019, and Americana UK hopes to hear more next year.
8/10
8/10
