Deadstring Brothers
(Bloodshot)
Armed with the prerequisite rock ‘n' roll swagger, as befits a band based in Detroit, and a certain amount of Anglophile irreverence, given that two of their members hail from the U.K., the Deadstring Brothers could have settled for being a Stones tribute band had they not opted for their roots rock insurgence. Much of the Deadstringers' dead ringer similarity can be traced to singer Kurt Marschke's Jagger-esque slur and moan, but given the band's penchant for haggard, bottleneck ballads and a weathered sprawl, a relative likeness to albums like Beggars Banquet, Exile on Main Street and Let It Be becomes all but unavoidable. Toss in the decadent influences of Gram Parsons and a hint of Steve Earle, and the quartet's synthesis of heartland sentiment and Brit-rock perception is clearly defined.
Suffice it to say then, that anyone believing Sao Paulo would find the band opting for a marked change in direction via a bossa nova beat or a south of the border flair would be entirely misled. The title track bleeds dark desperation, its gaunt, bittersweet plea finding a comfortable fit with the band's usual mix of back-alley narratives and sneering arch defiance. The brash rebellion inherent in "Houston," "The River Song" and "It's A Shame" affirm the quartet's antagonistic attitude before ceding the spotlight to the weary resignation that marks the final entries, "The Same Old Rule," "Yesterday's Style" and "Always a Friend of Mine."
The common thread is a general air of disillusionment that hangs on every note and nuance, marking Sao Paulo as destination where only the outcasts dwell.
Standout tracks: "Sao Paulo," "The Same Old Rule," ""Yesterday's Style" LEE ZIMMERMAN
