I must admit...I don’t generally listen to newer punk rock all that much. I get in phases where I’ll break out some Misfits or Dead Kennedys, but when I try to branch out and discover something new to satisfy my craving for punk rock, I am often disappointed and my punk rock phase quickly fades. One of my personal goals when it comes to music is to never become that guy who constantly talks about how music used to be good back in the day and rarely expresses appreciation for anything new. In this regard, punk rock has been a challenge for me. So when I listened to Dead to Me’s new E.P. Little Brother for the first time having never heard this band before, I went in hoping to find something enjoyable, but expecting another disappointment.
The record begins with “Don’t Wanna” and I’m tapping my foot. There’s a lot of energy, which is to be expected. Musically its nothing particularly creative, but it sounds right. The guitars ring out at the right times, the drums sound crisp. What I’m most impressed by are the vocals. According to the information I was given about the band and this record, I am aware that there is a dual vocal approach employed by the band. I have no idea who is singing on this track, but whoever it is sounds really good. Not too whiny. Not too loud. Just a nice croon that works really well with the music. Good start.
“Arrhythmic Palpitations” begins with a quirky guitar riff and then moves toward a more emotive sound overall both vocally and musically. It is still fast, but the tone is much less aggressive. Okay song, but nothing special.
The title track is next and it is the best song on the record. I am a sucker for reggae influenced punk rock and this is a good example of it. The music weaves back and forth between slower reggae groove and faster paced punk anthem. The progressions are seamless. There’s no sense of fragmentation, which can often occur when punk bands attempt this. The vocal melody is particularly strong in the chorus. Once again, I am loving these vocals.
“Ran That Scam” and “What’s Wrong” conclude the E.P. and do so mostly on a high note. The former features a catchy chorus that builds in intensity throughout the song until you are ready to scream it along at the end. Unfortunately, “so what” is the chorus lyric and I couldn’t quite get past the feeling that it is a bit of a punk rock cliché. The latter is a short and sweet blast of punk fun. The melody is playful and the chorus is a ripe opportunity for clapping along.
Dead to Me’s Little Brother is a solid E.P. It doesn’t stray too far from proven punk rock formulas, but it doesn’t need to. In fact, that’s part of the charm. It sounds strikingly familiar, yet I never feel like they are ripping anyone off. The vocals particularly stand out, but the music is never too far behind. The songs tend to blend together, making it difficult to differentiate between when one song begins and another one ends. If you like one, you’ll probably like them all though, which I did for the most part. I suddenly don’t feel so old anymore.
The 411: Little Brother is an enjoyable record. It may not offer much originality or variety, but it doesn't offer anything significantly disagreeable either. There are a couple of really good songs and a couple of average ones. Being an E.P., it is a cheap purchase and definitely worth checking out.
