If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Emily Joy Ashman Boston's The Brother Stereo have a brand new single that might have my favorite song title of the year. "The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)" has a sound that borders on mainstream alt-rock but has enough flourishes to keep things interesting. The song reminds me of Frank Turner meets Wilco. It's has roots in folk and mainstream rock, but there are odd and unexpected dalliances into psychedelia. The Brother Stereo are becoming a go to for straight up emotional rock songs, and "The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)" is no exception.  Frontman Michael Robert Kelly (per the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts I'm required to mention that he's the brother of Dropkick Murphys drummer Matt Kelly) says of his band's new single: "It’s about being at the top of your game and being a human under a lot of pressure. It’s about the superficiality of the people you meet, keeping up the faca...

Photo by Emily Joy Ashman Hailing from Boston, The Brother Stereo have a sound that is oddly nostalgic despite not quite sounding like any specific time. The timeframe I can tie "Time in History" down to the best would be around 1996 and 1997, as alt-rock started going a little more mainstream. The song has a classic feel, although it does sound like a recording from 2024. It's almost like songwriter Michael Robert Kelly (who, as a Boston music journalist I'm legally required to mention is the brother of Dropkick Murphys' drummer Matt Kelly, and is also the band's substitute touring bass, banjo, and mandolin player) time travelled back to the 90's to blow everyone's mind with what the future sounded like. It's an engrossing power ballad with flashes of psychedelia, and it has one of the best and most intense guitar solos to come out of Boston this century. To be completely honest, I didn't think I was going to enjoy "Time in History" ...