Kevin Devine - Brother's Blood - Ultra Clear - VINYL LP

Kevin Devine's 2009 LP, Brother's Blood, is another prime example of his versatility and boundless creativity. For such a collaborative effort the album starts off, oddly, with Devine himself on InchAll of Everything, ErasedInch. The singer hops on some XO-type ground, navigating multiple chord changes and spitting out metaphors of Inchflaming Ferris WheelsInch and Inchsinging sea shellsInch. It's the post-Elliot Smith folk song, but Devine owns it, making a simple-yet-elegant acoustic tune. He hits some similar highs on InchIt's Only Your LifeInch and the ending track InchTomorrow's Just Too LateInch (this time strumming and using backing vox) but the majority of the effort strays from the bare-boned approach. The nearly eight-minute-long InchBrother's BloodInch is more on the Tim Kasher/Cursive-tip with it's plodding verse of introspective lyrics and eventual climax of screams. Halfway through the track we are even treated to some flutes(!) as Devine's new backing band starts to rear it's head. InchHand of GodInch uses an infectious hand-clap that's sure to please indie-lovin' audiences from the Bowery to Berlin. And InchFever MoonInch has Spanish strums and wood block percussion a stone-cold love song with an aching hook. The song peaks when the twinkling guitar fuses with some light horns. It's the kind of heartstrings crap that only maybe John Mayer could pull off. And I mean that in the best possible way. Album Tracks 1. All of Everything, Erased 2. Carnival 3. Another Bag of Bones 4. Hand of God 5. Murphy's Song 6. I Could Be with Anyone 7. Yr Husband 8. Tomorrow's Just Too Late 9. Brother's Blood 10. Fever Moon 11. It's Only Your Life 12. The Weather Is Wonderful 13. She Stayed As Stream 14. What's Keeping Us Young