Our Brother The Native’s debut was so stuffed with ideas, I couldn’t listen to it all the way through. I needed periodic breaks, like a student cranking through a day’s worth of standardized tests, or a sweaty-balled tennis player sitting between sets. They bombed us with fast-forward-era Banhart, turned up the AC, made seasoned freak-folkers wince, and they did it all by mail, à la Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout. It was breathtaking. In fact, Tooth and Claw scrapped its way into the second slot on my 2006 year-end list before I even realized what the F had happened.
It controlled me. I showed Tooth to people knowing they were going to hate it, then reveled in their distaste for it. And how could I argue for my Brother in the first place when I, myself, didn’t understand the rationale behind my constant championing?
It all comes down to this: I like the way Our Brother The Native do business. Make Amends, For We Are Merely Vessels, despite – and because of – its about-shift from Tooth and Claw, is another creative victory for the teen trio. This time, an odd shucking of influences takes place. Their Animal Collective-ist leanings remain, but the majority of their other habits are left in the dust for new ones. Vaguely drone-driven and prone to post-rocking, Our Brother look for new meaning, drifting closer to the indie flirtations largely left unturned last time ’round. Raccoo-oo-oon, the Panoply Academy bunch, Ethan Rose, Ariel Pink, Dead Texan; it’s all here and going for bargain prices.
These kids admittedly sound like fucking Muppets at times. They take a lot more risks and leave themselves open to criticism. But I genuinely never know what’s coming next when I listen to one of their records, and what’s more, I’m usually excited by what I hear. Far from an open-and-shut case, Make Amends, For We Are Merely Vessels demands dedication. Don’t let it pass you by without giving it a few extra chances.
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