Brothermandude
BMD

(Adrenaline)

First Appeared in The Music Box, November 2006, Volume 13, #11

Written by John Metzger

Brothermandude is the latest in a long line of U.K.-based, alt-rock acts to set its sights upon breaking into the lucrative American market, and like many of its peers, its debut BMD is enmeshed in a mixture of atmospherical textures that blurs the line that separates the ’80s from the ’90s. On Painkiller, for example, the group places a Pearl Jam-style spin upon the funk-metal angst of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while the influence of Simple Minds weighs heavily upon The Sun. Elsewhere, Automatic drags The Dream Academy through the circular rhythmic grooves of the Dave Matthews Band, and before its chorus erupts in a blaze of arena-friendly glory, opening track Movin’ On sounds like a collaboration between Sting and The Cure. The problem, however, is that the bulk of BMD feels like a cold and calculated bid for mass appeal. Although Brothermandude jumps effortlessly among its many appropriations, it never succeeds in establishing its own identity. There’s little doubt that the ensemble’s songs spring to life in front of an enthusiastic crowd, but for the most part, BMD is a pleasantly innocuous effort that is so unassuming that it’s immediately forgettable. ½

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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2006 The Music Box