Jeff the Brotherhood: Health and strenght (Heavy version) (2011)

Gracias a Stereogum nos hemos enterado de que uno de los temas más interesantes de We are the Champions, el último álbum de Jeff the Brotherhood, en tanto que contiene elementos que normalmente el dúo no suele emplear, tales como un sitar o un arrope psicodélico. Pues ésta es la versión digamos que primigenia del tema, evidentemente mucho más ruda y directa y que poco tiene que ver con la del álbum. Puedes decirme cuál te gusta más.

Jeff the Brotherhood – Health and strenght (Heavy version) (2011)

“JEFF The Brotherhood got sweaty with Fucked Up and Iceage at 285 Kent a couple of weeks ago. In that punk spirit, here’s a revved version of “Health & Strength,” a track that appears in lighter sitar-threaded psych form on the Nashville siblings’ We Are The Champions. This one’s from a limited-edition (500 pressed, now sold out) tour 7″. As JEFF’s Jake Orrall explains, it’s the track’s original form:

The heavy version of “Health and Strength” is actually the original version. It was recorded at the same session as “Mellow Out” and “Diamond Way” but we never ended up using it for anything. When we did the session for We Are the Champions, we were messing around with different versions of some songs with totally different instrumentation, so we had our friend Ryan come in and do sitar on it. I played the violin and Jamin put some towels over his drums. We laid on a bunch of reverb and got real spiritual with it, and we liked it so much we put it on the album. So here’s the original heavy version, I think it’s pretty good.

Listen. It’s sorta like if the Ramones grew up in Tennessee” (stereogum.com)

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Oír-Hear: Jeff the Brotherhood – Health and strenght (Heavy version) (2011)

Jeff the Brotherhood: We are the champions (2011)

Aunque con la discografía de Jeff the Brotherhood nos estamos comenzando a hacer un poco de lío, lo cierto es que la pareja formada por los hermanos Jake y Jamin Orrall se han marcado un pedazo de disco para este 2011 de los que quitan el hipo. Una mezcla heterogénea entre Grunge, Punk, Tantras, Riffs bestiales, Indie y algunas de las melodías más pegadizas de los últimos tiempos. Todo ello grabado con escasez de instrumentos y arreglos, a la manera Orrall, es decir con kit de batería básico y guitarra con tres cuerdas. Evidentemente, en el disco, la pareja ha superado ésto para grabar su disco y ha añadido bastantes instrumentaciones a su sonido básico (teclados: Shredder, Endless fire; e incluso un sitar electrónico: Health and strenght, Wastoid girl). Eso sí, sus presupuestos ideológico-sonoros no han variado un ápice, aunque con temas como Health and strenght, Wastoid girl, en la que asoman una vena popera-psicodélica; o en Bummer o Diamond way, en las que la mayor huella es la de Weezer; los hermanos parece que también saben beber de otras fuentes además de las acostumbradas. En cualquier caso, JTB demuestran que son un grupo curtido en los escenarios y ello lo trasladan magistralmente al vinilo, demostrando toda su energía en una colección de canciones que, si bien en sobreexposición excesiva quizás lleguen al hartazgo, tomadas en sus debidas dosis, resultan un bombazo energético sobrevitaminado. Y de vez en cuando el cuerpo nos pide una sobrecarga de tal calibre.

Jeff the Brotherhood – We are the Champions (2011)

“For JEFF, We Are the Champions is far from a statement of irony. It’s one of purpose — that they are the torch-carrying international champions of Nashville punk. Whether devotee or detractor of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall’s reckless, basement-bred take on stoner-punk, followers of Nashville rock have decided where they stand on the band. But for many more the world over, Champions will be an introduction — the first JEFF LP to enjoy the orbit of major-label distribution.
Luckily for these bone-jammin’ bros, it’s a pretty fucking great introduction. And one that roars to a start sounding like garage rock’s answer to, of all things, Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” — “Hey Friend,” to the cue of an airhorn, staggers suddenly to the speakers mid-mid-tempo groove with an oscillating, fuzzed-out swell of synth-bass. A wailing wall of guitarmonies follows before, like a curve ball, the beat drops out, a lone, clean-tone guitar drops in, and Jake Orrall intones in his blasé, staccato tenor, “I’ve been thinkin’ about your mom.”
For a raw rock combo that in their early days seemed singularly committed simply to sweet riffs and rousing energy, on Champions JEFF prove themselves through a confident embrace of dynamics — stretching the boundaries of their economical ensemble past the brink, with thrilling results.
Sure, the primal, in-your-face energy is still there and potent as ever — the breakneck, jackhammer hi-hat and pummeling power chords of “Cool Out” will transport you to a Trans Am speeding at 90 mph down the darkest of highways while you pass a spliff to your shotgun-rider and rigor mortis begins to overtake the body in your trunk. “Shredder” relentlessly shells the listener with an assailment of head-bangin’, top-shelf Sabbath and Motörhead riffs that more than befits its name. And that’s almost nothing compared to the will-make-you-start-punching-people-uncontrollably-if-you’re-not-careful stoner-rock tour-de-force “Ripper” that follows a few tracks later.
Still, it’s the cuts where the Orralls stretch out and indulge their more nuanced curiosities that really make Champions radiate. Whether it’s the whistle-worthy “ooh-eh, ooh-ahs” and “whoa-ooh-whoa-ooh-whoas” of patient pop gems like “Bummer” and “Diamond Way” (the latter perhaps their best, most tuneful and tender song to date), the yearning closing anthem “Wastoid Girl” or a spacey, soulful, mid-album ballad like “Endless Fire” — a song whose resolute, organ-and-Mellotron-slathered motif and loose-pocketed groove make it sound like The Brotherhood meets “Whiter Shade of Pale.”
The impressive thing about JEFF’s moments of artistic maturation and decidedly dynamic forays from punk into straight classic rock is that they never feel forced — as these kinds of creative stabs often do when other, lesser bands intent on growth try to test deeper waters.
Just as the brothers Orrall have spanned the globe building their fervent local following into an international, Music City-born virus — by translating their ’70s-possessed sonic mosaic of influences into their own fraternal secret language — they have arrived at a sound that matches the captivating, harum-scarum presence they’ve had from day one … and a record that’s sure to complement high-speed road trips down haunted highways the world over for years to come” (nashvilleescene.com)

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Best Coast / Jeff The Brotherhood: Sunny adventure / Bummer (Split Single, 2011)

 

Está claro que no podemos dejar de hacer referencias a unas de nuestras bandas favoritas del momento. Los californianos Best Coast han editado un single conjunto con Jeff The Brotherhood, el dúo de Nashville más cañero de los últimos tiempos. ¿Jeff The Bestyhood, Jeff Coast? Los primeros editaron uno de los mejores discos del año pasado, y los segundos acaban de editar disco (que reseñaremos en TJB): We are the champions. Pues el resultado es éste: Sunny adventure / Bummer. Los Coast siguen empeñados en hacer del Retro-Pop adornado al estilo californiano su bandera. Con Bummer, los hermanos Jeff se apartan algo de su estilo más descarnado, facturando un Pop más noventero, con sintes y guitarras al estilo Weezer. Además han incluido el tema en su último álbum.

Best Coast / Jeff The Brotherhood – Sunny adventure/ Bummer (Split Single, 2011)

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Jeff The Brotherhood: Live at Third Man (2011)

 

Los hermanos Jamin y Jack Orrall no son nada nuevos en este negociado. Llevan cerca de diez años grabando y editando discos desde su Nashville natal, y tienen un montón de referencias a sus espaldas. Evidentemente, en este tiempo no iban a desaprovechar la oportunidad de publicar un disco en vivo, y cuando Jack White se puso en contacto con ellos, este Live at Third Man es el resultado. Un disco grabado en vivo ante una reducida audiencia enlos estudios propiedad del inquieto White. En el set dan rienda suelta a todo su ingenio compositor, su energía a la hora de interpretar y a todos los watios que el hecho de ser un dúo les permitan. Pero no penséis que por ser sólo dos tipos sobre el escenario los hermanos Orrall se cortan un pelo. Ni mucho menos. La energía rockista y post-punk rebosa por todos los poros del disco, y los casi cuarenta y cinco minutos que dura el álbum se pasan en un suspiro. En él repasan temas aparecidos ya en anteriores entregas y el listón no baja casi ni un momento. Lo primero que piensas es cómo pueden armar tanta bronca dos tipos solos sobre el escenario. Pues la montan. Y a base de bien.

Jeff The Brotherhood – Live at third man (2011)

“It just seems right that one of the finest live duos out there would end up performing for a small, raucous crowd at the headquarters of the record label for Jack White, a pioneer of loud, rocking duos all on his own.  Last year, Nashville’s Jeff the Brotherhood stopped at the White Striper’s Third Man compound and churned out an energetic set for those in attendance.  11 songs in 45 minutes, and it’s a nonstop fist-pumping affair.  You can order the madness on wax here“ (culturegreyhound.com)

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Jeff The Brotherhood: Diamond way (Single, 2010)

Está más que claro que el Lo-Fi está de moda. Y está claro que la mezcla entre el Punk y el Lo-Fi también. Woven Bones, Wavves, Ty Segall, Harlem… así lo demuestran. Jeff The Brotherhood son otro ejemplo. Pura energía Proto-Punk realizada con tres de las cuerdas de la guitarra y un drumkit básico. La fórmula no deja de dar ejemplos para dar y tomar, pero es que cada uno tiene su salsa y su esencia, para qué negarlo. Mientras nuestros reproductores se saturen de sonidos frescos como los de Jeff The Brotherhood, estaremos tranquilos: el Pop no habrá muerto. Pincha el enlace para conseguir el single.

Jeff The Brotherhood – Diamond way (Single, 2010)

“JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD is Jake and Jamin Orrall, two brothers that play drums and guitar. They grew up in Tennessee making music and trying to have a good time. Since their inception they have been playing anywhere from house parties to rooftops, backyards, bars and art galleries and releasing their own records, tapes, comic books and home made videos.
“THE BROTHERHOOD has been called “kraut punk”, “psychedelic grunge” and “noise pop” drawing comparisons to bands like Hawkwind, Wipers, and early Sonic Youth.
They have been carrying their heavy damage all over the country since 2006 and have shared bills with Oneida, Battles, Sonic Youth, Ex-Models, Jay Reatard, Black Pus and Dave Cloud. Their “we’ll play anywhere” attitude and frenetic live shows have earned them near legendary status in the clubs and basements of Nashville and beyond. With three guitar strings and a minimal drum kit, they manage to distill rock to its primal essence.
JEFF released Heavy Days in October of 2009 on family-owned Infinity Cat Records and quickly won praises from the likes of Brooklyn Vegan, Spin, RCRD LBL, the Tripwire, My Old Kentucky Blog, KEXP, Paste, Village Voice, Nylon, Nashville Scene (who recently awarded Infinity Cat “Best Nashville Record Label”), among others. JEFF supported the release with tours alongside Screaming Females, Ted Leo, Ty Segall, Lightning Bolt and more, while their frenetic performances at CMJ ’09, SXSW ’10, Chaos in Tejas, MFNW, and Bumbershoot were heralded by fans and critics alike” (rcrdlbl.com)

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