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Dreamy guitar pop is definitely one of my favorite genres, and it seems that its quickly reemerged as one of the world’s favorites too. I’ve heard gems from Australia, the UK, Mexico, Japan and now, with Brothers In Law, Italy. The band’s latest album, Hard Time for Dreamers, fulfills the promise that was apparent on their early single, providing listeners with an uplifting pop record that’s breezy and enchanting.
There’s something familiar about the way album opener “Lost Control” begins, but as soon as those steadily bouncing drums kick in, I forget about that, and just let myself get lost. Guitars swirl in the background and the vocals are uplifting in tone; it’s hard not to find yourself immediately falling for Hard Times for Dreamers, especially when the wayward guitar playing you carries you away towards the end of the track. It fits nicely with the next tune, “Go Ahead,” which lives in a similar sonic realm, though there’s something about the vocals that gives it a different feel. It’s just a brief moment, but they raise higher in pitch, leaving me with one of my favorite 2 seconds of pop this year.
I definitely can see that there are times when the vocals might have too much coating on them, but it’s almost as if Brothers In Law intended to be that way. It’s as if the voice has been built to add the depth of another instrument. That being said, during “A Magic,” there is some clarity just after the two-minute mark when the song breaks down to a slower pace for a momentary relaxed movement. But, that brief moment sets the scene for “Childhood,” where the voice takes the central role in spectacular fashion. For the beginning, the whole song centers around the voice, surrounding it with warmth, as you would expect in some sort of cathedral recording. Then, the drums begin to pound, the guitars are turned up, and they shuttle you away to the place where Hard Times for Dreamers lives: a bliss-filled state of relaxation.
If you’re in need for a certifiable hit, and let’s face it, most of us are, then you can probably find the answer to your search by going straight to “(Shadow II) Leave Me.” Almost from the moment it starts the angular guitar cuts its way back and forth between the solid drumming section. Honestly, I’m pretty sure this is the best song that Wild Nothing never wrote. Yet I’ll admit that it’s not easy to find a standout on Hard Times for Dreamers, and that’s not because the record falls short in any way. In fact, it’s so consistent that you could easily find yourself listening to every track over and over for many days to come.
As the year’s end comes nearer, I’m revisiting notes and such things I’ve made to remind myself of what I really enjoyed. Somehow, I skipped over writing about the Whip Hand, even though it made it into my indiepop list, so I aim to remedy that now. The band walks the careful line between indiepop and shoegaze, utilizing these sharp jagged guitar chords to encourage toe tapping, whilst drawing out vocal notes in a dreamier fashion. Their album Sometimes, We Are, just dropped in October, so you can still go out there and be cool by discovering it and sharing with your friends…like me! Grab the album from Lady Sometimes Records.
