Craig's Brother - The Insidious Lie

self released . January 2011. written by Oliver . translated by Doris Koisegg . genre: Melodic Punk Rock/ (Skate)punk

Craig’s Brother is back after a long hiatus. Presumed dead for a long time, as they didn’t release any new material since 2004, they are back all the better in 2011. Craig’s Brother rank among the early skate punk bands on Tooth and Nail, which managed a whole series of melodic HC bands like Slick Shoes, MxPx, Dogwood or Ace Troubleshooter. The band released the defining album “Homecoming” in 1998, which had been produced by Donnel Cameron in the West Beach Studios in Hollywood. The band once said they feel honored to record in these “hallowed halls,” where their idols Bad Religion had recorded before, too. When Adam Nigh left the band to found Too Bad Eugene (now Trush), they could temporarily win Ryan Key from Yellowcard. The succeeding album “Lost At Sea” was recorded in Canada. The music on the LP was as gloomy as the cover; however, Craig’s Brother created a masterpiece that made Lagwagon and NoFx look like amateurs. Craig’s Brother was the first band to incorporate a choir into their music. This brought them to trouble with the label, since Tooth and Nail had to pay for it. Every other band uses a choir nowadays. Just think of Underoath, Decoder or 30 Second to Mars. Craig’s Brother “Epidemic” EP, released on (former Yellowcard guitarist) Ben Harper’s label - Takeover Records -, unfortunately only attracted little attention. Five good but unspectacular songs (compared to previous releases) got lost in the shuffle. Since I’m a big Craig’s Brother fan I’ve always been watching the band’s actions with great interest. Ted Bond (vocals) released some acoustic songs in the meantime, which – admittedly – sounded lousy, because his voice – with all due respect – sounded like Kermit the frog. 2010 brought along some news: after the band could reclaim former members, like Andy Snyder, they got together to make new music. The time had come on January 24, 2011: CB released – in unfavorable circumstances – the masterpiece “The Insidious Lie.” The album contains 11 very different tracks: ballads, midtempo songs, and super fast skate punk tracks. Ted wrote very profound lyrics for this album: “Klamath Falls” witnesses the band’s constant failures, “Thousand Yard Stare” depicts the horrors of war, “Party Girl” bemoans a drug-addicted girl who lies on a dance floor, wasted, and, despite her advanced age, has not come to her senses yet. “Mistake of Caring” is a great song that describes a situation in which you trust and support someone who always asks for more and more. A situation everyone knows from personal experience. “The Aaronic Blessing” is a beautiful ballad that commences with an arabesque intro. Ted strongly urges to keep peace on earth. The track is very impressive and emotional. It is accompanied by gentle backup vocals and gathers momentum over the course of the song. Craig’s Brother has been taken for a side project of Lagwagon and NOFX in the past. This comparison can’t be drawn any more. Craig’s Brother’s songs – in relation to these bands’ – are too complex and profound. I can’t understand at all how this band experiences such immense difficulties to receive attention. Craig’s Brother counts among the most melodic and complex bands I know. Simply impressive! (5 out of )

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Rank: (5 out of 5)

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