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We've grown to love the eclectic Clairecords label over the years...and Brother Kite is one of the reasons why. The band's spacious, heady, cerebral pop music is thoroughly engaging and upbeat. Waiting for the Time to be Right is another excellent addition to the group's catalog. Featuring twelve wonderfully inviting tracks, the album's tunes are smart, thoughtful, and insightful. All five members of this band sing...which results in some marvelously challenging vocal harmony work that is reminiscent of 1960s bands like The Beach Boys. When you consider the fact that the public happily supports the shittiest artists in the world...it seems tragic that credible real bands like Brother Kite seem to be overlooked. No matter. Based on the sounds we're hearing here...these folks obviously have music in their hearts. The inherent sincerity is amazing. Fantastic stuff. Recommended.
reviewed by: LMNOP |
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The shimmery pop album that always seems to signal the end of the summer for me. The Brother Kite sucks at the breast of the Beach Boys and Fountains of Wayne, with nips from the Big Star bottle from time to time.
Oh, and they do it so nicely. These are hardly languid pieces. Rather, many race ahead at an almost breakneck pace. Even those bashers are astoundingly pretty. There's just no getting around the gorgeous nature of these songs. The production is excessive. I mean, it has to be to achieve the ringing reverb and haunting harmonies that populate this disc. That kind of stuff can get grating when the songs are no good. But these folks know how to knock out a great song or few. Put this in, crank it up and watch the sun go down. A cloudy glass of hefe would be nice right about now. reviewed by: A&A #278 |
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You ever get that feeling? You know, that nerd feeling? The one that happens when you hit play on a record you were expecting to be decent, only to find out that it's BETTER than decent? The feeling that makes your arm hairs stand on end? The reassuring comfort in knowing that your musical taste is FAR superior to most mere mortals? The DISCOVERY of something sonically brilliant?
It happened to me just now. Rhode Island's THE BROTHER KITE may have just unleashed the album of the year on us. Their self-titled debut record a couple years back was one of the standout releases on the fledgling Claire label (your home for turtleneck-wearing shoegazing fans who still can't accept that Lush broke up.) Their first album was good; I was expecting the same from the follow-up. Instead what I got what Brian Wilson reincarnated as the simultaneous frontman of both The House of Love and the Jesus & Mary Chain. The record has enough blissed-out guitar fuzz to make even the most coffee-laden elitists of shoegazers perk up, but that's only the icing on the mocha latte. What makes "Waiting for the Time To Be Right" so different is that it's bursting with pop hooks that explode out of the record straight into that weird part of your brain that can't shake a good song no matter how hard you try. Shoegazers are supposed to be dour creatures who like stretching one guitar chord into lazy infinity -- instead, The Brother Kite cut through the glorious haze with umpteen-part harmonies that make me ancy to rush out and play the record for all my friends. It's Ride meets the Beach Boys. It's My Bloody Valentine meets Supertramp. It's genius, and I haven't heard anything quite like it. The time IS right. Don't think, just go order it now from the good folks at Tonevendor. reviewed by: shane for excellent online |
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And speaking of pop, there’s also the matter of THE BROTHER KITE, another band that captures that Brian Wilson innervision in a bottle. Their second album, Waiting for the Time to Be Right, will be released on September 12, but the party is tonight (Thursday the 7th) at the Century Lounge.
When the Brother Kite’s eponymous debut arrived in 2004, the band proved that you could still bang out shoegazer pop that mattered. On the new album, the quintet widens its sound, particularly on tunes such as “Hopeless and Unsung,” in which lead singer and bandleader Patrick Boutwell embraces Brian Wilson as a brother. The band frequently nails a juicy hook, like the one on “Bringing It Back Home” or the more introspective title track, and they do indeed bring it on home. They even deliver some meaningful lyrics, like on their single “I’m Not the Only One,” where Boutwell intones, “You can’t explain a halo to a non-believer.” Occasionally, a song is swallowed by shoegazer atmosphere, such as on the non-descript “The Finest Kind” and “Hold Me Down.” But not often. Word has it that this Providence outfit, together for five years, has made a name for itself outside of town thanks in part to its deal with Clairecords. They played SXSW last year and they’ve made some inroads on college/community radio. This October they’ll be playing Popfest New England 2006 in Northampton, Massachusetts. We’re pretty sure that Waiting for the Time to Be Right, with its bubbling cauldron of influences — ranging from the Flaming Lips to the Association to proper shoegazers like Pale Saints and Chapterhouse — will be on your list of Top Ten local albums by the time the end of the year rolls around. reviewed by: bob gulla for the phoenix |
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It’s always a big risk for a band to greatly alter their sound from one record to the next. For some it can be quite rewarding for both the band and the listener, but however there are also those times when it can result in a bad case of crashing and burning. I say this because in 2004, The Brother Kite released their self-titled debut album through the Sacramento based Clairecords, whom have done a wonderful job putting out some fine dream-pop/shoegaze releases over the past few years. The album was fairly standard, big walls of colorful sound and at times ear piercing feedback. Despite keeping itself within the box, so to speak, it was still a fairly solid album. However, the band has returned in ’06 with their second album Waiting for the Time to be Right, again through Clairecords. This is where that risk I was talking about comes into play.
Reading a bit about this album before I had a chance to hear it may or may not have been a good idea. I haven’t quite figured that one out yet. I saw plenty of mention on how the band had moved in a different direction, distancing them a bit from being an all out shoegaze act. Considering I liked their debut, I was bit concerned as to how this might turn out. I will admit it even lowered my expectations a bit for this release. However, upon first listen of Waiting for the Time to be Right, any questions or concerns I had were put to rest. The group set out to do something different than their last album and they definitely succeeded in that. The best part of it though is that it worked. They didn’t crash and burn. I only wonder now what I would have thought about the album had I listened to it with no prior knowledge of what it might sound like. Either way, I am pretty confident I would have liked it either way. Instead of the great big wall of sound approach that is pretty much the norm for a lot of shoegaze acts, and was for The Brother Kite’s last album, they’ve moved toward a much more sun baked 60’s rock vibe. Mostly everything I’ve read or heard has mentioned that it has a very evident Beach Boys influence to it, which after listening; this is a pretty valid statement. Although, a lot of times throughout the album, I am vaguely reminded of Superdrag and that sort of blend of 60’s fuzz rock meets current times. This is a surprisingly good album from a band that has really stepped up and made some large strides from their debut to their follow up. Check this out if you get a chance. It can be purchased over at Tonevendor along with their self-titled debut as well. reviewed by: Jonathan for built on a weak spot |
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It isn't hard to understand why some folks believe that shoegazer/dream pop and power pop are incompatible. Power pop, for all its poppiness, thrives on rockin' exuberance, while shoegazer bands (even with distorted guitars) are known for being dreamy, spacy, hazy, and surreal (sort of like the alternative pop/rock equivalent of a David Lynch film). But the Cardigans demonstrated that a band could be relevant to both alternative power pop and the shoegazer/dream pop aesthetic, and Lush maintained some dream pop overtones when they gave themselves a major power pop makeover in 1995 with their Lovelife album and the U.K. smash "Ladykillers." So power pop can, in fact, be part of the recipe for shoegazers, which is what happens on the Brother Kite's Waiting for the Time to Be Right. The more uptempo parts of this 2006 release drift into power pop territory, although the Brother Kite are a shoegazer band first and foremost -- and their ethereal sound draws on influences like My Bloody Valentine, the Cocteau Twins, and early Lush as well as the Beatles (post-1965) and even the Beach Boys. Yes, the Beach Boys -- as in '60s surf rock. Brian Wilson and friends might sound like an odd influence to have if you're a shoegazer band, but those "Don't Worry, Baby"/"California Girls"-type harmonies are indeed part of the picture on melodic tracks such as "Lay Down Your Burden" and "Hopeless and Unsung." Another thing that, from a shoegazer/dream pop perspective, is unusual about the Brother Kite is the fact that they have a male lead singer: Patrick Boutwell. From Lush to Shallow to Medicine to the Cardigans, most of the major shoegazer units have had female lead singers. But the Brother Kite are an exception, and Boutwell is a definite asset for the band on this enjoyable CD.
reviewed by: Alex Henderson for AMG |
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Hailing from Providence, RI, maybe The Brother Kite will revive that music scene back to the glory years of the early 90’s when bands like Velvet Crush, Honeybunch and Small Factory ruled the indie pop world. Ok, so maybe that isn’t likely to happen anytime soon but still, TBK have made a helluva sophomore record. These guys take the hazy pop textures of bands like Mercury Rev and The Flaming Lips, add a dash of My Bloody Valentine and top of all off with some smiling Beach Boys and the results are occasionally staggering. ‘Out of Sight” has waves of guitars wash over pounding rhythms, swirling keyboards and dreamy vocals while The Finest Kind” reaches for the stars and occasionally can extend their arms and touch a few (stars , that is ). Main guy Patrick Boutwell and his crew have obviously spent a lot of time crafting this record and it paid off in spades. Do not miss this.
reviewed by: dagger |
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With Waiting for the Time To Be Right, Providence, RI’s the Brother Kite creates narcoleptic beach music for urban indie kids. Shedding the frenetic lead riffs of surf rock, the album centers around a constant barrage of rhythm guitar that has been sculpted by the influence of poppy post-postpunkers like the Wedding Present – and more recently the Oranges Band (with whose The World and Everything In It this disc shares a suspiciously similar resemblance both in general sonic aesthetic and sun-dipped waterscape cover art). Beginning with the playful instrumental opener, “The Coat of Arms,” magnetic melodies and cascading guitar work create a solid collection of clothes-shedding, saltwater pop rock.
“Out Of Sight” is a soft ebbing undertow of vaguely psychedelic powerchords and a throbbing blend of lively tambourine and jingle bell stomp. The vocals are submerged within the mix, floating just under the surface until they majestically melt into the climactic guitar upsurge. “Hopeless and Unsung” vocally resembles Robert Pollard chipping away at Pet Sounds-era Brian Wilson, while a vat of never-ending reverb sustains melancholic chords beyond the extension of fading memories. The Brian Wilson similarities reach a climax with “Lay Down Your Burden” (one of Wilson’s best solo cuts is 1998’s similarly titled “Lay Down Burden”), where Shins-style rock swirls into a harmonic canon of fuzz guitar. The powerful pop eccentricities and escape-the-tedium storylines of four-four rockers “Get On, Me,” “Hold Me Down” and “Bringing It Back Home” provide the disc’s best cuts: pop gems of lost hours and jubilant melodies (especially on the Cure lite introductory riffs of “Get On, Me”). With Waiting for the Time To Be Right, the Brother Kite catches a heavy nostalgia drift (indicated by the anachronistic inclusion of “Side One/Side Two” track list headings) that while tending to value skilled emulation over divergent innovation still yields a gorgeous soundtrack to sun-spangled beach days. Favorite Track: Track 6, “Hold Me Down” reviewed by: christopher ewing for online rock |
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According to the economic theory of bounded rationality, choices are constrained by the cost of acquiring information. If that’s true, you’d think the internet would be a boon to the average music fan. With a few keystrokes, one can pull up information on just about any artist. However, the tremendous wealth of information available has paradoxically erected its own walls. Faced with potentially infinite pixilated space, we’re forced to rely on a few reliable information filters. The end result: while we may have more information than before, in many ways, we’re still no better at accessing it.
The Brother Kite released their sophomore album more than a month ago, and while the album is easily one of the best you’ll hear this year, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of it until now. There are two reasons for this. One, the Providence, Rhode Island-based band is on a tiny Gainesville, Florida label called Clairecords, home to a sleepy stable of shoegaze-style bands. The second and somewhat related reason is that this band’s previous record (also its debut) trafficked in a fairly run-of-the-mill shoegazer sound, somewhat typical of Clairecords artists. Taken together, no doubt few were waiting with bated breath for the band’s new album. But nothing, not even the band’s prior anonymity, should obscure the Brother Kite’s present achievement, the remarkable leap forward that is Waiting for the Time to Be Right. Spiritually, the record is guided by the ghost of Beach Boys records past—the elegiac harmonizing eerily reminiscent of Brian Wilson’s California troupe. Yet the musical framework for Waiting is decidedly more modern—drawing slight inspiration from their shoegaze/dream pop roots and displaying an even more impassioned reverence for the Northwest indie rock of Sub Pop bands like the Shins and Band of Horses. “The Coat of Arms” makes their widescreen ambitions explicit from the start—opening with a surging power chord and eventually splintering into spidery guitar lines and rumbling drum fills. Yet despite with such a bold announcement, The Brother Kite are somehow able to make an act of hubris sound economical, a testament to their skill. In stark contrast, “Out of Sight” thrives on sheer simplicity, driven by a simple repeated riff and Patrick Boutwell’s echoing tenor. His uncommonly expansive vocals get an even more fitting showcase on “Hopeless and Unsung”, a lush, blooming ballad that also stands as the Brother Kite’s most heartfelt tribute to the halcyon harmonies on Pet Sounds. Elsewhere, the band appropriates the Cure’s signature guitar work from “Just Like Heaven” for the wordless chorus to “Get On, Me”—a buoyant, unabashed pop song. “Hold Me Down”, arguably the band’s crowning achievement, is perhaps their most overt nod to their shoegaze roots, but even this song sidesteps mere genre exercise with uncharacteristically insistent drumming as the song escalates to a towering climax. It’s an accidental anthem of sorts, a victory tinged with yearning and regret. If there’s a complaint to be lodged, it’s that the Brother Kite’s meager recording budget sometimes works to the detriment of Waiting’s brimming melodies. The band supposedly recorded these tracks in a home studio they constructed. While that may lend the album its effortless effervescence, it might also explain why some of the more subtle sonic elements get lost in the mix. It’s a tradeoff that probably still redounds to Waiting’s benefit, even if a more professional approach might have cast the Brother Kite’s epic aspirations in sharper relief. Belying its title, Waiting doesn’t presume patience to be a virtue. The Brother Kite pack an impressive amount into its 45 minutes, touching on a wide array of sources even as they stake out their own claim in an increasing crowded indie field. If they tread with any trepidation, it’s certainly not apparent on this effort. With any luck, the Brother Kite’s confident strides on Waiting will be rewarded with the sort of attention that has eluded them thus far. If so, maybe our channels of information aren’t as constricted as we once imagined. reviewed by: popmatters |
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Providence-based quintet the Brother Kite take a cue from the "less dream, more pop!" heckler, inviting the rosy-cheeked scarf-swingers among us along for a sublime ride comprised almost entirely of bridges and choruses. "I'm Not the Only One"-- from the band's sophomore LP, Waiting for the Time to Be Right-- comes charging out of the gate bearing its billowy opening proclamation like a bowed'n'ribboned battering ram aimed at the Wall of Sound. There's reverbed, glistening guitar underpinning the swoops and swells, so somebody's gazing at his/her shoes. But it's not vocalist Patrick Boutwell, whose orations on believers and halos ring bell-clear and with unabashed directness-- to the point that you can practically see his eyes twinkling. The ride's over much too soon, and could benefit from an unexpected twist or two, but seldom does dream-pop soar along with such exhilarating grace and clarity.
reviewed by: matthew solarski for pitchfork |
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Rhode Island based shoegaze outfit The Brother Kite comes to the table with a new and more matured sound. Yes, it's not just the change in the name, but the departure actually isn't a departure at all. For me, this disc sounds more akin to their live show than their former record. It struck me that their live show was more infused with Beach Boys style vox and guitar lines amidst walls of ever so impressive sounds. Waiting for the Time to be Right is their sophomore offering, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. This is early Lassie Foundation ala California meets Lassie Foundation ala Pacifico Yet, it is their own work. The Beach Boys influence is undeniable as they showcase their incredible ability at harmonization and vocals. Recorded in their very own, brand new studio, The Brother Kite are another band that have fashioned their own work in the genre of shoegaze, proving the genre has so much more to give depending on the artist. A giant helping of shoegaze mixed with a massive helping of pop, this album is just perfection.
"Coat of Arms" begins with the sound of surf and glittery pop guitars. The drums and bass really drive the song as guitar layers run throughout but never lose the melody to the pumped up sound. This is a bit of a reminder of where their first disc left their fans and where they are about to lead them. Jon Downs and Patrick Boutwell's guitar sounds are exquisite and their tone perfection. About three minutes into this pop-tune, Boutwell's fantastically brilliant vocals come into the mix and the background vocals evoke days gone by found only on albums like Pet Sounds. The execution is perfect and commanding. This seamlessly moves into "Out of Sight." All of the background vocals drop as fuzzy guitars fill the speakers with a burst of energy. The vocals are more echoing with solid bass and drums backing them up. The guitars bring in that grand shoegaze feel with a perfect pop formula laid over them. Boutwell has perfect vocalization. I can't express enough how impressed I am with the composition of these songs and the quality of the vocals. Having seen them live, this is exactly what I expected in terms of their vocal abilities. This is what most bands dream of, that is, a sophomore outing that bests their premiere. Two songs into the disc, it is apparent to the listener that something has happened here, something wonderful. "I'm Not the Only One" finds its place among the style of their first disc with a heavy dose of chaos and brilliant driving drums and bass. It must be noted that Andrea Mason is a fab bass player. Live she's amazing and certainly should not be overlooked as the perfect glue between melody and beat in this band. "Hopeless and Unsung" is the first track that has a slight quiet before it begins. Bright, glistening guitars slowly play as bass keeps beat. Vocal harmonies come into the mix that just blows me away. The influence of Brian Wilson is uncanny, but that is not a short coming of this album. In fact, it's a brilliant mixture of their previous work and the band's ability to vocalize with the best. "The Finest Kind" is more shoegaze as the vocals float on dreamy guitar tones. Keys float around the melodies like ever present winds floating through vast open fields. An incredibly emotive feeling is communicated through this track and is a stellar central track on this disc. I do believe I heard this song live long before it was recorded and it was fab then as it is now. "Bring it Back Home" starts with nostalgic keys and then bursts into huge guitars. This gives way to light guitars and great harmonies with perfect drums and bass. This seems to be the anthem song of the album and it's grand. Bells give it that wintry feeling as the guitars ramp up with great tone. This leads to "November/December." A brief track, it provides an interlude with flute like music, evoking warm firesides and a good warm cup of coffee in that moment when winter is about to hit. "Get On, Me" is another song that starts with glittering guitars and has great acoustic guitar touches. Vibrating through the speakers, this band has the energy of what should be a huge band. "Waiting for the Right Time" begins with organ and vocals. This tune reminds me of Wayne Everett's recent work. Just absolutely beautiful stripped down pop. Eventually the rest of the band joins with great vocal harmonies and accompaniment. "Hold Me Down" begins instantly. I really like their songs where they just burst in with the song instead of building them like most band. Pulling that off live, which they do with finesse, is an amazing feat. The cymbals clash as the song explodes even more. "Lay Down Your Burden" begins with an epic feel of bright guitars and grand vocals. If I am right, Downs provides some up front vocals and the drums tap the beat into silence. Then, walls of sound jump out of their instruments with a sudden rush. The guitars are intricate and huge as they overwhelm the vocals to a point of sinking them into the mix a bit. It's a perfect explosion of energy. The band drops out and gives way to ambient ocean sounds and keys. This bleeds directly into "Never in Years." This final track is huge sounding and the bass and drum work is intricate. The backing vocals "ooo" in the background as the vocals reach a fever pitch. Guitars shimmer and all the elements of the album come together in one song, at one moment, in one composition of excellence. The keys lead the listener out of this shoegaze/pop extravaganza. Well, I am left saying WOW! This album has blown me away and will be in my player for many, many months to come. The musicianship, composition, influences, and originality make this a must have album for any shoegaze or pop lover. Amazing quality from this sophomore effort. reviewed by: jason for somewherecold |
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The opening shot from Waiting For the Time to Be Right has indie rock perfection flowing through its veins: over a copped riff from The Zombies' "Crimson and Clover" thick Pixies-esque power chords gum up the chiming guitars, blending them into a kaleidoscopic shoegazer ode. It's an instrumental track that encapsulates -- and segues -- nicely into the heart of the album where vocalist Patrick Boutwell gives his best James Mercer impression and his band keeps the power-pop relentless. Tracks like "Out of Sight" and "I'm Not the Only One" conjure up 1996 Superdrag and Weezer in such a sincere and forward-looking way it circumnavigates all the awful emo and alternative rock those acts spawned. "Hopeless and Unsung" sounds like the unlikely combo of Brian Wilson fronting an aquatic Explosions in the Sky, and is perhaps is the best marker for what The Brother Kite excel at: sounding at once like something nostalgic and cutting edge. Keep it coming.
reviewed by: aaron shaul for ink19 |
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I remember hearing a lot about this Providence group when their debut hit a couple years ago, but I never actually got to hear them until a few months ago. The record starts off with the mostly instrumental "The Coat Of Arms", which has several different parts in only four minutes, which then gives way to "Out Of Sight", a strong track with a rather brilliant chord change in the chorus that gives it an uplifting quality. The band usually gets lumped into the shoegazer scene, but I find that that's not an entirely accurate label, as this band displays a louder, poppier side in a bunch of these songs. Sure, you'll hear some of the usual shoegazer qualities (particularly the perpetual wall of guitars with effects) in songs, reminiscent of bands like the Lassie Foundation, but there are even more, like "I'm Not The Only One", "Bringing It Back Home" or "Hold Me Down", where they actually sound a lot like Superdrag (one of my all-time faves), particularly in the vocals. Even when they quiet things down in "Hopeless And Unsung" or "Waiting For The Time To Be Right", I'm reminded more of 18 Wheeler or the Heavy Blinkers. This is a rather impressive record, and I'll have to go back and check out their debut now!
reviewed by: indiepages.com |
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