Brandtson

Send Us A Signal

Track Listings
1 Who Are You Now? (2:15)
2 Drawing a Line in the Sand (2:57)
3 Throwing Rocks Tonight (3:40)
4 Escapist (3:31)
5 Just Breathe (4:12)
6 C'mon Facista (3:55)
7 Mercy Medical (4:44)
8 Blindspot (4:08)
9 Mexico (3:39)
10 Margot (3:10)
11 Over and Out (3:59)
12 Bottle and the Sea (2:53)

 

Discography
 Hello, Control (2006)
 Send Us a Signal (2004)
 Death & Taxes (2003)
 Dial In Sounds (2002)
Trying to Figure Each Other Out (2000)
Fallen Star Collection (1999)
Letterbox (1998)


 

Release Date: (July 05, 2004)
Label: Militia Group
Producer:


  December  Hotel 
  Overall Rating:  ++++  

 

 

 
Album Reviews

 

I remember how much I used to love the band Copeland. Their brand of coffee shop emo proved to be all around goodness. Then I found out about Brandtson, four semi-dorks from Cleveland whose mixed styles prove them a force to reckon with. The veterans of the emo scene left their old label Deep Elm after a fruitful run and joined up with The Militia Group, where on June 15th they released their 7th full length, Send Us a Signal.

Send Us a Signal is a solid mix of power-pop and shoegazer rock, with song types varying as the album plays on. The seventh track, "Mercy Medical" is by far the best song on the album. Brandtson’s trademark melodic phrases and hypnotizing drum lines make sitting in traffic enjoyable and driving through city streets at night euphoric. "Margot" is very Weezer-esque and "Over and Out" has backup guitarist Matt Traxler ska-strumming. The smooth and electric voice of frontman Jared Jolley (also the band's drummer) compliments the overwhelmingly relaxing mood of the album. Lead guitarist Myk Porter lends backing vocals, which adds depth to Brandtson’s already powerful sound.

Lyrically, Brandtson is very sincere and melancholy, yet optimistic on occasion. Jolley uses his tone to accentuate the mood of different parts of tracks throughout the album. In "Mexico," Jolley proclaims, “So screen all the phone calls, put the chain on the front door, and if you see her, tell her I don’t live here anymore.” When the words are written, they appear sad, yet when spoken from Jared’s lips, show great expectations for the future.

The majority of this album is solid and passionate, and despite a few generic tracks, this album is still a great buy. If you are a fan of Jimmy Eat World, Copeland, or Death Cab for Cutie, Brandtson’s Send Us a Signal should definitely be in your CD player.

~ John Vedamanikam

 

 

What can I say about Brandtson? They have been around for a while releasing a handful of albums on Deep Elm while still maintaining a semblance of obscurity. It’s hard to imagine this band keeping such a low profile with the caliber of music that is being cranked out. Send Us a Signal is the band’s debut on the Militia Group that will certainly elevate their indie-cult status.

Whether it’s the smooth and sultry “Escapist” or the brooding “Just Breathe”, Brandtson demonstrates their versatility at covering all facets of the rock genre a la The Police or the Foo Fighters. While the songs are diverse in nature, Send Us a Signal flows remarkably well much to the credit of Ed Rose, whom the band collaborated with for the fourth time. Other strong showings here include “Who Are You Now” and “Blindspot.” All in all, very well done…

~ Christian

 

There's not a lot of albums I find myself truly looking forward to nowadays. I'm more likely to remain chilled, and just let everything new find me welcoming, yet skeptical at the same time. Very rarely do I find myself tearing open a package and putting its contents straight into my CD player. Even CDs I purchase are likely sit unopened for a day or two before I get around to their inaugural demonstration. However, Brandtson's "Send Us a Signal" is an exception. I had my eye on its release date for a few months, and received it zealously. The funny thing, I'm not exactly sure why. I wouldn't have identified myself beforehand as a keen Brandtson fan; it's just the progress I've been monitoring in them over the past couple years had me interested.

As good as I had hoped is a certainty; Brandtson have delivered an album that knocked me right off my feet. "Send Us a Signal" hovers on the boundary between emocore and modern rock, carving for itself the kind of niche founded by Jimmy Eat World with their "Bleed American" record. It's the kind of direction overachieving emo-pop bands like Yellowcard and Brand New are headed, but still lacking the maturity and wisdom boasted by Brandtson. Songs like "Mercy Medical" and "Mexico", with their steady toe-tapping beats and calm, underbearing melodies, have the sort of effortless professionalism starry-eyed 'up and comers' can only dream of.

It will have to be one hell of a second half to 2004 if this record doesn't make my top three.

~ Tim Krysko

 

     

Brandtson(Homepage)

 

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