| · Can I get a witness?
Brother Danielson (musician and producer Daniel Smith) is back with his sixth full-length release and as usual he keeps it all in the family. The eldest member of the Smith clan, Brother:Son is another Danielson Famile collaborative effort. Never falling far from his firmly planted roots – his wife, daughter, father and four siblings provide the music and backing vocals on the record.
Inspired by Sunday school and revival meetings, Smith had a musical vision, not to spread the word of God, but rather the word of what-the-hell? Somewhere between the Partridge and Carter families on crack, Smith’s sonic experiment began 10 years ago as a senior thesis project at Rutgers University and later developed into a successful music and producing career (Smith is credited with producing standout albums by Sufjan Stevens and June Panic). However, Smith is probably best known for the Danielson Famile.
Somewhere buried beneath Brother:Son’s weird bible-camp vibe are stellar harmonies and buttersoft melodies. Friend and fellow folky Sufjan Stevens provides some of the background vocals and banjo picking on the album and when Smith brings down the volume of his trademark squeaky falsetto, you get to hear his remarkably pretty voice.
Once you get over the fact that Smith is deadly serious and his music isn’t some sort of Ween rip-off, a listener can appreciate all the musical elements that make the record a treat. Mixing gospel-rock with folk, funk, blues and – dare I say – soul, Brother:Son bewitches you with its musical voodoo.
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