The Cash Brothers

With their previous album, How Was Tomorrow, finally giving the Cashes a profile within the global roots rock community, A Brand New Night finds Andrew and Peter sticking with a tried and true formula of harmonies and heartbreak, while tentatively attempting to expand on it. The album’s general tone is more aggressive, undoubtedly the result of heavy touring, with Andrew turning in his most passionate performance on the album during "It’s Too Late To Say Goodbye.” Peter follows that with two of his classic slow-building ballads, "Fire Dying,” and "Tillsonburg,” something fans of his Skydiggers work will especially appreciate. In fact, the album continually gets better as it goes along, as the first few tracks seem to aspire to the feel of the Jayhawks’ last few albums, without coming close. There’s also an unexpected imitation of the Rolling Stones, circa Some Girls, on "Give Me Your Hips,” which, while adding a bit of fun to the proceedings, is thoroughly out of character. Nevertheless, A Brand New Night retains enough quality throughout to build on the momentum they have already achieved, and once again shows that Canadian roots rockers rank among the best in the world.