New Music - The Felice Brothers

I am thoroughly enjoying the self-titled new album from The Felice Brothers. This marks the second excellent release, after Flowers Forever, already this year from the folks at Team Love - the imprint co-founded by Conor Oberst. As luck would have it The Felice Brothers wound up opening for Bright Eyes late last year, including a show at Radio City that I was supposed to go to (shoot!). They were soon signed and put together some songs from older, self-released albums with a few new tunes for this record. The band itself is actually comprised of 3 brothers, amongst other musical contributors, and got their start the old fashioned way - by busking on subways, at farmers markets, etc.

Lead single “Frankie’s Gun!” is, like Muzzle of Bees said, one of the best things I’ve heard all year. It’s an outlaw tale with heart that sounds like The Hold Steady playing accordion-fueled Americana, or better yet, The Band covering Mott The Hoople’s “All The Young Dudes”. Much of the rest of the record is more low key, but no less interesting. “Wonderful Life” is a beautiful standout, as are the rousing, drunken-country spirituals “Take This Bread” and “Radio Song” - both fit to be sung along to in the bar on Saturday night or in a church on Sunday morning. When all is said and done, The Felice Brothers is a sprawling, ragged collection that takes roots music and turns it on its ear.

MP3 :: Frankie’s Gun!
MP3 :: Wonderful Life
(from The Felice Brothers. Buy here)
----------------------------------------------

Hear more music and find tour dates on myspace
----------------------------------------------