BrakesBrakesBrakes

Brakesbrakesbrakes (known as Brakes outside North America) were once a side-project for Eamon Hamilton from British Sea Power and Thomas and Alex White from the Electric Soft Parade, although it turned into a full-time gig for Hamilton back in 2006. And it would appear that the new focus on this band is paying dividends. Touchdown shouldn't come as a shock to anyone who heard either of the band's previous albums because both were perfect examples of overlooked gems crying out to be heard by a larger audience. And while it would be nice to think that the frenetic, infectious songs here will be the band's breakthrough moment, they will likely continue to be one of indie rock's best kept secrets. That said, they do appear to be going for broke this time around, with songs like "Two Shocks" and "Hey Hey" exploding with an incredible amount of energy. Fortunately, they punctuate the proceedings with slow burners that suggest that the Pixies and the Breeders were a helpful influence. In someone else's hands, the eclectic nature of Touchdown could be a confusing mess but Brakes handle it all effortlessly to make great album number three.