Most of the time when you are writing about bands, you don’t hear the music first. You’ll see a PR email, or a direct email, or a website link or something. A lot of bands underestimate therefore, just how important it can be to have that first impression come over as professional and attractive, or at least stand out. Little Brothers, from Louisville, KY probably don’t come over as professional, and their designs could never be called attractive, but they most certainly standout. The design for their Bandcamp page, the picture above this article, is one of the wackest record covers I have ever seen. And I’ve seen this.
However, lying underneath that wacky exterior is music of considerable charm, warmth and filled to the brim with pop sensibilities. The vocals are often sung in harmony, but with ramshackle musical accompaniments that sound like fifty people playing fifty tiny little instruments in a barn. On occasion they sound like Fleet Foxes, or Wild Beasts, being covered by The Flaming Lips, with Dick Parry rasping out sax solos in the corner. In short, it’s pretty joyous.
The band comprises Tony Weis and Jason Anderson on bass and drums respectively, and Michael Weis providing everything else. Which is fairly remarkable, considering how much is going on in these recordings. The first EP, which is available at their Bandcamp page for free, was recorded in the basement of Michael’s house, and sounds all the better for it.
You can grab two of their songs below, or head over to their Bandcamp and grab the whole EP for whatever you would like to pay.
