The Endrick Brothers – Attraction Versus Love
This is the first of three reviews of landscape bands. Bands and albums that are deservedly part of the landscape but which may be a little difficult to notice at times.
I saw the Endrick Brothers support Richmond Fontaine at ABC2 earlier in the year and loved them. There was something so honest and heartfelt about them, something so frank and disingenuous about frontman Niall Holmes that I couldn’t but take to them. He painstakingly explained every song to us and clearly put himself into the songs, albeit in a restrained non-ostentatious way.
The album is really just straightforward country-rock (from Glasgow funnily enough – you wouldn’t think it) that reminds me strongly, as I said at the time, of a group called Jolene. Both write in a very similar style and, despite the general predictability of the music they seem to find something in almost every song to latch onto. Brendon Benson has this knack as well although I would baulk at describing the Endrick Brothers as being at his level just yet.
There’s something extremely warm and likeable about this record which I find myself quite drawn to. You’ll probably think I’m mad, because it’s hardly an overly distinguished sort of album, and certainly not one that jumps out at you at all. It’s not great, but it just has its own kind of friendly charm which Song, by Toad sort of likes.
The Endrick Brothers – Thorns on Every Rose
The Endrick Brothers – Star of the Silver Screen
Jolene – Calling Madeline
Always on the lookout for scottish bands I don’t know…this is excellent. One for fans of later Teenage Fanclub and Cosmic Rough Riders, I think. have already checked out their Myspace…
Excellent that you like it. Be warned though, not all the songs on the album are as good as these two.
Don’t know about the rest of the record, but there’s a lot to be said for friendly charm and a warm, honest melody. Thanks for yet another wonderful discovery.