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Life & Arts

Blood Brothers 'spaz' out in Houston

By Jason Gagnon
The Daily Cougar

There are few bands in recent memory who have so fiercely and finitely divided audiences as much as the noisy spaz-core outfit much as the Blood Brothers. They have no casual fans; you either love them or loathe them. Those unfamiliar with the band and curious to find out what all the hype/hate is about can decide for themselves tonight at Fat Cat's, 4216 Washington Ave. when the group performs. 

The Blood Brothers formed in 1997 in the Pacific Northwest, home to a scene bursting with all types of music, and one which brought the world incredible bands like Botch and the Murder City Devils. The Brothers started out mimicking more indie-rock influenced California hardcore bands (most obvious being the pre-Locust band Swing Kids) and began cultivating a fan base that enthusiastically absorbed their off-time beats, volatile guitars and screechy vocals. Becoming critical darlings from albums like March on Electric Children and This Adultery is Ripe, the Blood Brothers soon evolved into a more experimental and sometimes just plain weird version of their previous sound on their Artist Direct Records debut, Burn, Piano Island Burn. Songs were slowed down and became more intricately arranged, and the incorporation of instruments like acoustic guitars, pianos and even a xylophone added to the rich texture of the songs. 

Last year, the band released and even odder and progressive album entitled Crimes for the V2 label, which was incredibly well received amongst critics and fans. 

Much of the press focus on the Blood Brothers is on vocalists Jordan Billie and Johnny Whitney, who are a crucial part of the bands sound. One delivers a more normal, raspy yell while the other (who is unfortunately featured more often in the songs) yelps and screeches like the bastard offspring of Frankie Valli and Janis Joplin. It's certainly not for everyone; the high-pitched howls do get pretty annoying, but those able to sift through the nails on chalkboard screeches will discover the band's greatest strength is its lyrical ability. 

Two particularly striking tracks on Crimes that showcase this talent are "Trash Flavored Trash" and "My First Kiss at a Public Execution."

Like the vocals, the music is similarly splitting, but the band is talented, and it's always interesting to listen to whether they are delving into eerie piano driven tunes, spastic metal riffs or modern dance punk styles. 

Known for their high voltage live show that features more body contortions and convulsions than a psychiatric ward, the Blood Brothers will at least please visually if not musically. 

Be sure to get there early to have your mind blown by the awesome Mean Reds. 

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