The Blood Brothers

March on Electric Children (2002)

Dave Norman

Meh. That was my first reaction to this album. At the time I purchased this cd, I was starting to obsess over Burn, Piano Island, Burn. The dual vocal shrieking, the dual vocal singing, the random yet catchy guitar riffs, the distorted bass, and the hectic drumming were something that I had never heard or experienced before. At some points extremely chaotic, and at others very melodic – I could tell this band was very different from anything I had heard before.

So I picked up March On Electric Children, as I had heard it was almost as brilliant as Burn, Piano Island, Burn. The first couple of listens I felt very let down. The album sounded like one long song, lacked variety, Johnny Whitney didn't sing as much, and the really melodic and really chaotic parts didn't seem to be there. If you feel the same way after the first couple of listens…trust me, just keep listening.

I think the only way to truly comprehend the genius that is The Blood Brothers is to find the melodies that lie in the music. At first it's pretty difficult because everything seems so damn random, but soon enough you begin to hear it. Once that is accomplished just listen to the way Johnny and Jordan intertwine their vocals, as it blows my mind…among other things.

The lyrical content is superb. This album continues the story of Piano Island and whorish exploits, with a new character called Mr. Electric Ocean. My interpretation of this short story is that Mr. Electric Ocean makes the slew his wife (in the song New York Slave), and he basically has a lot of sex with her. I'm still in the midst of trying to decide what else is happening, because the lyrics use a lot of metaphors and other devices to convey their messages. If anyone else has opinions on this album's story, I strongly suggest you to post them below.

I would very much like to make band comparisons for everyone (as I always want to have an idea of what the band sounds like), but I can't make any one suggestion. In my opinion they sound like a fusion of Refused, Choke, and At The Drive-In. That probably doesn't help much, but you really have to hear The Blood Brothers to understand what they sound like. Try downloading Siamese Gun (my favorite song of all time), March On Electric Children, New York Slave, and Kiss of the Octopus. I truly think this is one of the greatest albums ever released, so you should at least check it out if you have the time.