CD Review: The Redding Brothers- The Physics of Immortality

http://www.reddingbrothers.com

The Redding Brothers are three brothers originally from the good old state that birthed our own Michael and Taylor Show, West Virginia. With roots in their home state of West Virginia, Seattle, and Oklahoma, the boys really bring a unique heritage to their music. With their father, a Johnny Cash-on-the-acoustic player as their prime source of influence the Redding Brothers have gone on to create what has been called their own brand of "scruffy, intelligent rock". Now, still carrying what West Virginia, Seattle, and Oklahoma gave them, they jam from their new homebase of Nashville, Tennessee.

The new album brings a much more matured album than the previous Wisdom from the Green Shag Carpet and they are preparing for a tour of Charleston, Atlanta, Parkersburg, and Pittsburgh. The brevity of each song, rarely (read once) surpassing 5 minutes makes for easy radio play and does not bore the listener. They are also appearing on the Michael and Taylor in the Morning Show this week on WMUL 88.1 Huntington, WV. The show should provide us with a great set-list, we were able to preview their new album The Physics of Immortality and here is what Taylor came up with:

Solid
This song is one of Micah's more powerful vocal performances on the album and is an excellent song overall. The background vocals are well placed and fun to listen to.

Send Me a Line
The guitar lines in this are slightly pop-like, and provide a style reminiscent of a lot of early 90's bands. The style if very catchy and the vocals are exquisite.

Chauvet
Probably the most single-worthy of the album, it is a powerful anthem that forces you to sing along. The background vocals add to the powerfulness and the chorus is incredibly catchy despite the unusual presence of a name such as Chauvet. That the Redding Brothers incorporate such an awkward sound really speaks to their high level of lyrical competence.

Searching for Love
The opening guitar riff brings you into the melancholy later to be complemented by Micah's vocals and the band really works together on this one. Though the topic may be cliche, the boys really brings something new to this one.

Coming Round
This song is very nice and mellow in the beginning and is really effective in communicating to the listener.

Fine
Fine is very neatly put together and its similarity to We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel, really makes the song fun and quirky. It is one of my favorites not in any individual aspect, but in its totality.

Wake
Wake rounds up the album in terms of spectacular songs for a while. Yet, it really is a nicely packaged song that allows Micah's tone to be led by the instrumentation in the way that only a band with a lot of comfort in each other can achieve. The chorus is very radio friendly despite the song not doing justice to the album.

Clouds
Three songs in a row, starting with this one are the weakest on the album in my opinion, but even Clouds has redeeming qualities. The song is fun and the lyrics engaging despite a weak intro, and an inability to hold my attention for too terribly long. The song is much better on repeated listening, and even has an epic quality about it.

Reaching Out a Hand
This song is good, but almost too harshly rhymed for certain tastes. The chorus also is a bit too optimistic, if such a thing is possible. The band doesn't really seem like itself here and the song would have garnished higher reviews if it was not followed by so much excellence before it.

Lofty Places
The acoustic guitar is almost not appropriate it seems here, but it fits farther into the song. The band almost seems like they are playing a song they are tired of in the intro, although the chorus is a little more inspiring.

Anger
Here the band picks up again with a nice 90's style dark ballad that is able to pass as a pop ballad. The song is well crafted and paints a beautiful imagery with the background providing beautiful undertones.

Unfaithful
The heartbeat- drum style of this song is excellent and the acoustics are great. The vocals are eerily delicious and it all makes for a very nice song.

Of The Sun (piano)
The Redding Brothers take a wonderful opportunity to go beyond the guitar and create a very pretty piano piece here. DEFINITELY worth checking out for fans of piano and Redding Brothers fans.

The new album is amazing and the accomplishments of the acoustic driven songs are very effective in bringing an excellent environment. As a 20 year old, I must admit my gratitude for the reminder of the 90's, a time of great music that I hope the band will contine to bring back into vogue. Unfortunately, the Redding Brothers left me with the same question as a lot of 90's bands... Where are the solos? Overall a well crafted album that I would definitely recommend to friends. I know we will be keeping a copy on hand for the radio station and I will be getting a copy for myself.

Make sure you tune in on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, depending on the length of our interview, it will be played on one of those days, check back here for more info!

http://www.reddingbrothers.com