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Brandtson

Death and Taxes (2003)
Deep Elm Records

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Contributed by: Circa1983
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on April 15th 2003

I had this EP preordered from Brandtson so I received it today. It's good stuff, certainly doesn't disappoint. First thing that I noticed that the track lengths were a little short for Brandtson type songs. Truth is the songs are somewhat different from what I'm used to from Brandtson. Seems a bit more poppy on the whole.

Song by song:
You Do The Science Definitely a fun song. The two vocalists harmonize really well in this song and they do interesting stuff with fade effects. The guitar work is creative as well.

On Three Cool song about ambition and drive. Pretty fast paced for a Brandtson song, but definitely really catchy. The lyrics of this song really appeal to me.

Your chance to live is right before you. So put it down on paper. Sing it out loud. Lock yourself in your room, and come out as beautiful as you are.

Circa 1991 Song about finding "the one" so to speak. Outstanding vocal work on this one again, even if the lyrics are a tad cliched.

In The Pills Sad emo breakup song. Another good tune, nothing all that remarkable about it, but it's a solid track.

Ain't No Trip To Cleveland Fastest song on the EP and my opinion the weakest. That doesn't mean much on a great CD like this though.

In A Word This song takes Brandtson's sound in a new direction. At times it reminds me a lot of Sunny Day Real Estate. There's a lot to like in this song.

As a a sort of side note, the cover art and design is pretty cool. The lyrics are included in the insert, which I always like.

Overall, the EP is a good buy, but certainly not my favorite from Brandtson. All the songs are good, but it doesn't draw me in completely as Brandtson's past works have done. In the end, it's a good release and I look forward to their next full length.

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Anonymous (April 18, 2003)

I apologize for my reviews earlier in this review. Its time for a real one. This band sounds like some constipated japanes dudes singing about how bad there life is. Its different but diffinetly not good!!!

-RaNcId PuNx

insinceredave (April 17, 2003)

This sounds great, can't wait for the full length!

insincere dave

Anonymous (April 17, 2003)

Planes Mistaken for Stars (i think. they seem to alternate between No Idea and Deep Elm) and Slowride are also awesome. Desert City Soundtrack and Lewis are cool too, if you like slower-paced stuff.

-MorphineSandwich

relay1112 (April 17, 2003)

Appleseed Cast (of Low Level Owl I and II) and Red Animal War are two great bands. This score is for them. If you refuse to listen to anything on Deep Elm, you're missing out on some surprisingly good music.

Anonymous (April 17, 2003)

how the hell is brandtson better than hot water music?

inagreendase (April 17, 2003)

does the rancid street team also have to use herbal conditioner?

Anonymous (April 17, 2003)

Brandston rocks it alot harder live.

Anonymous (April 17, 2003)

ha hot water music better then brandtson. i don't agree

hot water music is nothing compared to rites of spring

-themuffingirl

Anonymous (April 16, 2003)

brandtson are the one band that i have to skip whenever i listen to a deep elm compilation. "on three" is one of the first tracks on the new anti-suicide comp, and sucks immensely. emo can either be really brilliant (rites of spring, appleseed cast, hot water music) or really pussy-ass bullshit like this.

oh yeah, the logo for the abovementioned suicide-prevention compilation looks EXACTLY like the hot water music flame.

for my third completely unrelated topic: the CD that would make my life complete: a planes mistaken for stars/hot water music split. that would kick my ass.

-MorphineSandwich

Anonymous (April 16, 2003)

RANCiD i never heard them

v.b has though

Anonymous (April 16, 2003)

(virtual) brady is anonymous. he's obsessed with RANCiD!!!

Anonymous (April 16, 2003)

Rancid is a very good band and i would re-buy any of there cds than get this piece of shit!!! i hope you do the right thing and buy a rancid cd~!

-rancid punx

RightCliqificus (April 16, 2003)

rancid is gay.

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

yeah the rancid street team is out in full force

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

Rancid buy a rancid cd you fags!!!!

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

brandtson are boring

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

Brandston sucks

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

Red animal war is amazing

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

this CD is muy bien! But if
u want a really good
CD then go buy
a RANCID CD
right now
peace

-RaNcId PuNx

pope_schlomo (April 15, 2003)

the point is listen to RAW. every other band you can piss on.

Ramo
(yellow discipline is the new sex)

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

PMFS is on this label? I thought they were on No Idea?

-sickboi

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

you're making a huge mistake by not listenening to Red Animal War and PMFS

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

I refuse to listen to any band on this label. Sorry, thats just how I roll.

-sickboi

inagreendase (April 15, 2003)

this review was way too formulaic and every song only had a 1/2-sentence comment. this cd is also terribly overrated...it basically sounds like a reunion show who dropped some of the weezer influence.

evilash (April 15, 2003)

yeah i was there on friday for the KD renunion they smoked the place. ps the curse fucking blows, no wonder they broke up

travis (April 15, 2003)

I like this CD, but there is something missing to them that all of the other brandtson cds definitely had. I cant really put my finger on it. Maybe because its more more poppy than their other cds. But as a whole, so far its my least favorite release from brandtson.

StabbingGoldfish (April 15, 2003)

Speaking of Kid Dynamite, thier reunion shows fucking rocked my ass off. This score is for them.

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

i'd rather be listening to kid dynamite.

Anonymous (April 15, 2003)

Death and Taxes is the best Kid Dynamite song ever. I've never heard of this band. Whoo!

-El Vaquero

Kurt_F (April 15, 2003)

Um, "In a Word" is like a million other songs they've done. It's good, I'm just saying that it's nothing new from them. "Ain't No Trip To Cleveland" is pretty good too. My only complaint with this cd is the guitars...they are mixed really low, and have no bass to them hardly at all. Oh well, I guess.