Halifax's the Brood share a name with a late-1990s pro-wrestling squad who were, ostensibly, vampires. (This was in between Anne Rice making vampires popular and Stephanie Meyer making vampires super popular.) The rub was that while they were marketed as scary, the breakout stars of the unit — future world champions Edge and Christian — were actually daredevil goofballs who eventually made their name both on taking big chances and being giant dorks.
Despite their ominous-sounding name, the Brood are a band built much more in the Edge and Christian vein. Their goofiness comes from the wild-eyed way Seamus Erskine throws himself into his vocals. Half sung, half spoken, his voice adds a dose of gawky, cheeky madness to the band's pastiche of rock and roll influences that incorporate everything from Zeppelin riffs to Jerry Lee Lewis piano bashing to Gabriel-era Genesis prog.
The band's unwillingness to stay in one place, or even one sound, for any extended period of time reflects their daredevil side, was dizzying. Even when the band's members found themselves working a particularly compelling riff or keyboard pattern, they'd soon dance right away from it. Songs from their debut EP, All Debit No Credit, are even more twisty and turny live, but gain a great deal from the band's live heft; loud and endearingly forceful, the songs made you a willing participant on their journey even if, at times, part of you wished they'd stay put just a little bit longer.
Despite their ominous-sounding name, the Brood are a band built much more in the Edge and Christian vein. Their goofiness comes from the wild-eyed way Seamus Erskine throws himself into his vocals. Half sung, half spoken, his voice adds a dose of gawky, cheeky madness to the band's pastiche of rock and roll influences that incorporate everything from Zeppelin riffs to Jerry Lee Lewis piano bashing to Gabriel-era Genesis prog.
The band's unwillingness to stay in one place, or even one sound, for any extended period of time reflects their daredevil side, was dizzying. Even when the band's members found themselves working a particularly compelling riff or keyboard pattern, they'd soon dance right away from it. Songs from their debut EP, All Debit No Credit, are even more twisty and turny live, but gain a great deal from the band's live heft; loud and endearingly forceful, the songs made you a willing participant on their journey even if, at times, part of you wished they'd stay put just a little bit longer.
