AlbumsNovember 29, 201110,008 views

The Blood Brothers Young Machetes


Young Machetes
01. Set Fire To The Face On Fire 02. We Ride Skeletal Lightning 03. Lazer Life 04. Camouflage Camouflage 05. You're The Dream, Unicorn! 06. Vital Beach 07. Rat Rider 08. Spit Shine Your Black Clouds 09. 1,2,3,4 Guitars 10. Lift The Veil, Kiss The Tank 11. Nausea Shreds Your Head 12. Johnny Ripper/Stevie Ray Hendrixson 13. Huge Gold AK-47 14. Street Wars, Exotic Foxholes 15. The Giant Swan
2006 V2
Our score 9

by Cory
11/26/2006

One of the most fascinating musical transformations I've seen occur in the last few years is that of The Blood Brothers from a mediocre screamo band into one of the most undeniably unique rock acts I've ever encountered. While their music and personality have a rather polarizing effect on most music fans, those willing to embrace or overlook their flamboyant vocal delivery have been rewarded with some fantastic, compelling music. Their latest album, Young Machetes, is the logical marriage of the more abrasive styles explored in their earlier work including Burn, Piano Island, Burn and the bizarro pop of Crimes. They've taken two steps forward by taking one step back and as much as I've enjoyed their recent output, I consider Young Machetes to be their most mature, diverse release to date. "Set Fire to the Face on Fire" is as strong an opener as the band could've asked for, grabbing the listener's attention and refusing to let go from the first acapella squeals. The heart of their most recent aesthetic blends the discordant fuzz of late-era Fugazi with the attitude and ferocity of The Locust. It's admittedly an acquired taste and can be a hard pill to swallow, but I tend to find their music rewarding in a way that few other bands can compete with. It's ugly, awkward and often comes perilously close to beauty as in the final moments of "Lazer Life" and the cabaret breakdown of "Camouflage, Camouflage." The latter is one of the disc's best tracks for me, containing some of the riskiest and not surprisingly best moments on Young Machetes. Johnny Whitney's keyboard playing and vocals have both become much larger components of the band's sound on both Young Machetes and its predecessor Crimes, and I think it really gave the band that special something that set them apart even further from their contemporaries. For better or for worse, there really isn't anyone else out there doing what The Blood Brothers do with any amount of success. I'm sure there's somebody trying, but I honestly doubt they're having much luck. As far as I'm concerned, only one band can pull off squealing like a stuck pig over a Gang of Four-style dance beat and Blood Brothers do it without flinching and then move on to conquer the next song. As I said before, one thing that makes Young Machetes really work for me is the occassional return to the heavier style with which the group began that hasn't been particularly evident since portions of Burn, Piano Island, Burn. What they've managed to do on this album though is synthesize everything together into something that makes perfect sense despite its range of influence and styles. Vocals aside, there are portions of this album that could pass for hardcore songs and there are others that could be the Scissor Sisters. Anything and everything seems to be fair game, but The Blood Brothers are determined to own it all as their own. It's that exact brashness that makes it all work. Bottom Line: The Blood Brothers are a band that seem to evoke extreme reactions from their audience, whether positive or negative, and I have a feeling they wouldn't want it any other way. While Young Machetes might not sway any haters, it will undoubtedly expand their already growing audience and potentially reassure longtime fans who might have been a bit put off by the relative departure of Crimes. As more and more acts compete for the attention of discerning music fans, The Blood Brothers plead their case remarkably with Young Machetes. This is one of my favorite releases of 2006.

46 comments

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zero_x_potential_ 11/26/2006 9:50:56 AM

omg first!!!!!111111one11 decent band, though overrated among scene kids

george foreman grill_ 11/26/2006 10:15:10 AM

didn't this album come out a while ago? and get ready for the degrading comments by kids who have no life

anonymous 11/26/2006 10:40:51 AM

it came out in October

anonymous 11/26/2006 10:44:50 AM

blood borthers???!!?!? what the f*ck!?!?!?!? this is lambgoat right?

elliot_ 11/26/2006 12:10:55 PM

this is a well-written review, and i wish i could agree with it, but i just can't. young machetes really disappointed me, as it doesn't have very many memorable songs on it. i don't think they tried that hard to write a cohesive album, instead they just flicked on the autopilot switch and put this out. i dunno, maybe i'll change my mind later. but for now, i'd give it a 6 at the most.

anonymous 11/26/2006 12:21:22 PM

Good album, but could have been better.

Nick_ 11/26/2006 1:23:50 PM

I'd give it an 8. Some of the songs are a little weak, but still good overall.

hot gahbage_ 11/26/2006 2:09:42 PM

rarely has such a shitty band been hailed repeatedly as unique and amazing. thanks to cory for furthering such annoyance.

Star_Wars_ 11/26/2006 2:31:14 PM

this band sucks, shit review

fsovercrooks_ 11/26/2006 2:31:44 PM

im down with this cd...i liked it more than crimes i think.

anonymous 11/26/2006 2:42:25 PM

this is a well-written review, and i wish i could agree with it, but i just can't. young machetes really disappointed me, as it doesn't have very many memorable songs on it. i don't think they tried that hard to write a cohesive album, instead they just flicked on the autopilot switch and put this out. i dunno, maybe i'll change my mind later. but for now, i'd give it a 6 at the most. posted by elliot (eri001@drake.edu) on 11/26/2006 12:10:55 PM totally... its their weakest release since t

threexs_ 11/26/2006 4:50:23 PM

This band needs suicide.

Mark_ 11/26/2006 5:22:55 PM

Thank god for lambgoat finally reviewing a decent band. The blood brothers are the best band around right now ... great review

tim_ 11/26/2006 5:44:34 PM

gayest f*cking band ever.

darthdeathstar_ 11/26/2006 6:33:14 PM

holy shit cory, your the biggest gay.

anonymous 11/26/2006 7:45:25 PM

gay shit. New Mastodon is a million times better. Grow some balls you little weasely gay.

CuntSnot_ 11/26/2006 9:43:19 PM

worst.band.ever.

snails_ 11/26/2006 9:52:53 PM

i saw the 9/10 rating and knew immediately that cory reviewed it

ese_bauber_ 11/26/2006 11:39:19 PM

garbage

db_ 11/27/2006 12:23:24 AM

great review although i can't believe i'm reading this on lambgoat...

Coley Thrash_ 11/27/2006 1:35:19 AM

I don't even know why I visit lambgoat anymore.

frank_ 11/27/2006 3:21:32 AM

f*ck THIS SHIT MARTYR SHOULD BE THE BAND OF THE WEEK NOT THESE f*ckING gayS

fedismskee_ 11/27/2006 8:45:27 AM

any body who listens to this band is a gay.

carve_ 11/27/2006 8:49:45 AM

f*ck you cory you piece of shit

thomas_magnum_ 11/27/2006 8:55:59 AM

i saw the 9/10 rating and knew immediately that cory reviewed it posted by snails () on 11/26/2006 9:52:53 PM

se7en_ 11/27/2006 9:12:21 AM

the blood brothers? wait a minute, is this a lambgoat review I'm reading? or some cheap hipster pitchfork media review? what the..? what's next? an U2 review?

justinbean_ 11/27/2006 9:29:25 AM

f*ck THIS SHIT MARTYR SHOULD BE THE BAND OF THE WEEK NOT THESE f*ckING gayS posted by frank (ffsdsd@sdf.com) on 11/27/2006 3:21:32 AM

Dick Laurent_ 11/27/2006 11:17:43 AM

"We watched crabs and lobsters eat a dead cop's throat and stuff our mouths with gutted stereos." I just love the blood brothers for lines like this!

solaceinviolence_ 11/27/2006 11:58:15 AM

i f*cking hate this shit band.

xturtlex_ 11/27/2006 3:02:40 PM

shit f*cking band. no care ever. hope everyone in this band dies of aids. hope cory dies of aids for liking such gay garbage bullshit.

Corey with an E_ 11/27/2006 3:25:55 PM

9/10? No. I haven't even heard this CD or anything by this band and I can tell you it's not a 9/10. That score implies something AMAZING, and I should hear people talking about this band, my friends should be asking me every day why I haven't bought it. My 16 year old sister doesn't count as "people" either. gay.

zach_ 11/27/2006 6:07:09 PM

i'd probably give this record a 6 or so. it's nothing spectacular, but not completely horrible. the music itself is good, but god damn, the vocals are so annoying. johnny whitney's voice somehow keeps getting higher pitched with each record

yess_ 11/27/2006 7:59:01 PM

an u2 review? yess?

fuck cory_ 11/27/2006 9:38:53 PM

this review is the last bit of anything i will ever read on this site. cory you are a gay, the blood brothers are not hardcore or metal or anything of the sort, they suck major ass and have no place on a website like this, and im tired of coming to this shit website every day to see not shit but more gayness posted. bye forever shit ass website.

vcreationv_ 11/28/2006 9:25:05 AM

wtf a f*cking 9? godammit cory sux at life.

monolithic_ 11/28/2006 12:51:25 PM

Man, not surprised that the instances of the word "gay" are just as numerous as the negative "opinions" being expressed here. Do you dumbf*cks even think before you write or is everything a kneejerk reaction on Lambgoat? This album owns.

anonymous 11/28/2006 7:20:40 PM

the simple fact that all of you mongoloids are ripping this apart makes it worth checking out. seriously, go listen to some more arisis or necrophagist and stick to what your pea sized brains can handle. you all make me f*cking sick. f*ck you goaters...i'm never coming back.

Brian_ 11/29/2006 12:23:17 AM

LOL @ defensive Blood Brothers fans

monolithic_ 11/29/2006 1:46:15 PM

You just said "LOL".

solideogloria_ 11/30/2006 2:21:07 AM

I don't know. crimes was pretty not good. I'll check it out. I'm more than sure it doesn't warrant a 9 though. Hell, Burn Piano Island Burn doesn't warrant a 9.

CuntSnot_ 11/30/2006 9:16:56 AM

Arsis and Necrophagist>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&g

NYHXC_ 11/30/2006 7:13:54 PM

i downloaded the first song and after listening to it, immidiatly deleted it. how can this get a 9/10 and Nights like these get a 2. f*ck lambgoat

Alexander_ 12/3/2006 8:46:48 PM

It's wierd how this can get a 9/10, but Converge only get an 8/10, and the Go It Alone/Blue Monday split only gets a 6/10. I like this band, but, the album sucked.

Puppies_need_discipline_ 12/4/2006 3:47:30 PM

Mastodon >>>>>>>

Promicide_ 12/8/2006 1:13:19 PM

f*ck you Cory, you don't live up to this websites standard criticism. You are obviously some lame ass mainstreamer or something. Get a f*cking job.

the oil_ 12/16/2006 1:04:03 PM

shit shit band