Brother JT3 Jelly Roll Gospel

Pennsylvania’s Brother JT spins a mean time warp but his bold indie gospel is infectious and even a little inspiring. Soulful psych rock merges with punk indifference throughout songs the Brother crashes through with his band, the JT3, and there isn’t a single preacher-style utterance or swampy blues rock workout that doesn’t sound sincere and life affirming. If you’re as sceptical as Jake and Elwood Blues observing a church sermon after the first moments of "Lift You Up,” by the end of this unlikely spiritual you’ll be doing cartwheels and screaming about "the band!” Imagine the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion cutting a song with Tom Waits and it’d surely resemble "Ribbon Driver,” while "Way Out” is a stone reggae groove modelled after the Band’s "Up on Cripple Creek.” Brother JT3’s on a whole other trip and while it flirts with anachronism, Jelly Roll Gospel is decidedly fresh and empowering. (Drag City)

• More Brother JT3