After two albums with Rough Trade, Brakes are back with a new label, Fat Cat, and a set of songs that are as good a case for a breakthrough album as you will hear all year.
Continuing their “blend of punk, folk and country,” as their website states, all delivered though the distinctive soft and croaky vocals of Eamon Hamilton, Brakes from Brighton, UK, has delivered another tight package of indie power-pop tracks that is solid throughout.
More reminiscent of US bands such as Built to Spill than the British bands their members are associated with, including British Sea Power, Touchdown opener ‘Two Shocks’ and ‘Don’t Take Me To Space Man’ show just how much eccentric wordplay is crucial to the Brakes experience. “Don’t take me to space, man, sings Hamilton on the latter, adding, ” I don’t care if the world’s masonic, I’ve got a true love keeping me on it.”
Out of the 12 tracks ten are on similar power-pop lines as ‘Two Shocks’, with only the frenetic ‘Red Rag’ and the acoustic ‘Leaving England’ offering something different. This is a positive though rather than a criticism. Consistency is a rare gem in most albums and the ability to be able to sit through 35 minutes of this quality, with the bonus of a couple of different sounding tracks to break up the pace, is something to be applauded.
Will Touchdown actually turn out to be Brakes’s breakthrough album? Probably not in the UK at least. Despite their ability to write solid, catchy pop they are still considered niche and eccentric in their own country. This is a massive shame but there is hope, perhaps in the US, where their 2006 track ‘All Night Disco Party’ featured on TV show Ugly Betty. While they attract critical praise in the UK, it could be across the Atlantic where their Built to Spill – style sound, may garner commercial success as well.
9/10
by Joe Lepper, May 2009
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