Between studio production, the disconnection from a live performance and the choice of both your state of mind and surroundings, what the artist intended for you to feel through their record may be lost. Sometimes, however, it is easy to pick up on the energy an album produces. You find yourself bopping your head, trying to hum along and maybe trying to envision one of their shows in your head. Upon first listen, Dead To Me’s Little Brother produces that sensation.
Dead To Me’s sophomore release, the EP entitled Little Brother, left me wanting more. The opening track, “Don’t Wanna,” calls to mind poppy and fun punk rock like the Buzzcocks. The two vocalist, Chicken and Jack Dalrymple (formerly of One Man Army), keep things interesting by switching up who is on lead vocals from song to song. Chicken joined the band once emerging from rehab for drugs and alcohol, so many of the songs relate to addiction and recovery, along with war and social issues. “Little Brother,” the album’s title track, is the best listen on the record. It’s longer than your average punk song, running at just over 4 minutes. The song starts out slow with ska style breakdowns and tells the story of youth growing up in the conditions of the world today. “My little brother is getting into trouble; he’s so overwhelmed by the world sometimes,” they sing. “With so much air in the war we breathe, we’re addicted to the violence that we pass to our seeds.”
Overall, the 5 song EP leaves me excited for Dead To Me’s next full-length. “Little Brother” is the track to check out and the band is appealing to fans of such bands as NoFx and Millencolin.
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