THE BLOOD BROTHERS - CRIMES

I admit, I had always chalked up The Blood Brothers as whiney-as-fuck emo rock. Had I ever heard a song from them that would support or destroy that assumption? No. Did I ever care? Absolutely not. You see, I enjoy assuming shit about people and jumping to conclusions. I revel in it. It is in my nature.

But something else that is in my nature is admitting when I\'m wrong. And I was wrong about The Blood Brothers.

Their upcoming V2 Records debut, Crimes, may have somewhat emotionally-driven lyrics, but it fucking rocks hard as hell. That makes up for the tears and whining I assumed I\'d hear.

No, I\'m not going to look at the press release. What does it matter? You want me to regurgitate a bunch of shit back to you that I myself just learned ten seconds ago? I think not.

I will tell you that the fourth track, \"Peacocks Skeleton With Crooked Feathers\", is permanently lodged in my brain. And that \"Teen Heat\" is so loud and hard that I feel like I\'m being yelled directly at by the band. I\'ll also tell you that the album closer, \"Devastator\", almost made me cry from its brutal attack on my eardrums.

I\'m reluctant to say this because I fear you crazy fucking Blood Brothers fanatics will email me, chastizing me for my lack of knowledge on the \"...best band ever!\" But there is something about this album, possibly the layering or mixing, that reminds me of Marilyn Manson\'s Portrait Of An American Family work. It\'s hard, yet melodic. Heartfelt, yet gut-wrenching.

So, I was wrong. The Blood Brothers aren\'t a bunch of whiney bitches after all. There. I said it.

Now, if you\'ll excuse me, I have to go make fun of some Southern California punk band made up of 12 year olds. I\'m gonna tear them a new asshole. What\'s that? Have I heard their album yet? No.