Brine

Kill the Ill (2016)

TomTrauma

Brine is a band that takes me a bit outside of my comfort zone. In their promo materials the Seattle quartet is compared to modern bands like Citizen and Balance and Composure. While I’ve heard of those bands, I’ve never actually listened to their music. Fortunately those same promos also mention The Smiths and Smashing Pumpkins, two older bands I mostly enjoy. I think that’s a pretty decent starting point. The Smiths reference is probably due to the fact that singer Daniel Keating has a deep, resonant voice that sometimes sounds a touch like Morrissey. To me, his voice is reminiscent of Richard Butler. (He’s also responsible for the prominent, pulsating, Peter Hook type bass lines.) There’s also more than a little of that Smashing Pumpkins style fuzz that Seattle is so famous for. (I know Smashing Pumpkins are from Chicago, but they’ll always be lumped in with the Seattle grunge scene.)

Brine actually reminds me of post-punk/early alternative bands like Joy Division, Gang of Four, The Psychedelic Furs or maybe Talking Heads. It’s danceable music made organically with guitar, bass and acoustic drums. The title track starts off with a winding riff that's probably the most upbeat thing on the record. When the saxophone kicks in on “Rats Asleep” and “Asylum”, Brine sounds especially Psychedelic Furs-like. They do a really solid job of pulling off that sound. “Lies Atone” has a vocal hook that could have been lifted from an early New Order record. The partially borrowed lyric of “Once, twice, three times as crazy” comes across as fairly ominous. The lyrical content on Kill the Ill is generally pretty dark, but not oppressively so. The bass and drums work together to propel these songs. The guitars sometimes float on top to provide color, while other times they slash through the arrangement. Overall, the songs are well constructed and memorable. There’s no shortage of catchy hooks. The less than optimistic “New Year” and album closer “Mutiny” even add some somber piano to the mix.

Brine is made up of veteran musicians who clearly feel comfortable with one another. They seem to know exactly the sound they’re looking for. Although it’s the band’s debut, it doesn’t feel like a record made by a young band trying to find itself. Kill the Ill does a good job of sustaining the sonic mood across ten songs and nearly 38 minutes. While it’s not my normal listening, I like it quite a lot. If you’re a fan of any of the previously mentioned bands, do yourself a favor and check out Kill the Ill.