Album review: WRITER “Brotherface”

It’s true. They’re brothers and they’re brahs, about to embark on another tour following the release of their latest album, Brotherface. Crafty name, right? Even craftier: How WRITER, comprised of Ralph brothers/brahs James and Andy, has survived previous tours crammed into sweaty vans and two inch proximities. I mean, I love my sibling too, but this defies some sort of sibling code. Maybe they’re holograms. Or maybe, like their music, they’re just really rugged and cool. Let’s debrief.

WRITER formed beneath southern California’s orange glow, and though the pair has since relocated to Brooklyn, their west coast roots are still strong throughout Brotherface. Grainy tracks like ‘Hot Days’ that reference balmy temperatures, the mythical aquatic connotations in ‘Miss Mermaid’, and strolling around sans shoes in ‘Barefoot Art’ are all semblances of the laid back left coast. And it’s written in the instrumentals, too; jangly, outdoorsy sounds, James’ punctuated beats, and the playful waves of chords and riffs in ‘Cash for Gold’.  You can practically feel the salty wind blowing over ‘Head to Toe’, and see the longboarders weaving in and out of Andy’s languid vocals on ‘North Park Fairies’.

This is not to say it’s an album only about SoCal. The brothers pull out lonely, rugged Townes Van Zandt-esque vibes in ‘Swamp Lake Fire’, and ‘Family Dinner’ is layered with sharp vocals that suggest an electronic (potentially Brooklyn-inspired) tone. Placed beside each other, these tracks offer a vacation from the album’s remaining beach bonfire flavour. And no, I don’t mean kumbaya.

Energy, however, stays fluid between all tracks on Brotherface. Andy’s vocal range is narrow, but the background sounds are catchy and compensate for voiced similarities. The varying instrumentals are even more impressive once you‘re aware that only two people have strung them together.

Bottom line? If you’re in the mood for chill, sanguine tunes, Brotherface is your answer. Nice work, WRITER brahs.