2006’s Dits From The Commuter Belt was one of the best albums of 2006. An album that sparkled with the witty genius of Tim Hampton’s social commentaries, infused perfectly with the trios indie, punky grunge. So, saying that, the bands follow up, On The Brain, has a lot to live up to.
Having heard new tracks live over the summer, it was with interest over the bands apparent change of sound, as well as excitement that I waited for On The Brain. A promising start, with Tim hammering out a few heavy power chords on opening track Clear To Some before launching into a classic Bromheads style fast paced chord pattern. However, at 38 seconds it starts to go downhill when the band star just kind of squeaking over the chords, and I can’t really tell why. The music itself is fine, though nowhere near as heavy as before, and when he’s speaking, the lyrics, though not his best, are still far above average. I had prepared myself for a different sounding album but it’s not that the sound has changed as such; they’ve just turned everything down.
Clear To Some fades (well, it has to be said) into Speakerbox, which would be perfect if it didn’t have the organ part or the stupid “Ah ah aaahhh”. The single is followed by Turn Me On, which I just plain don’t like. It’s far too poppy and the lyrics are poor. So, 3 tracks of 12 down, and it’s a bit of a disappointment.
The tracks seem weak and thin compared with the classics, and while You’ll Loose It and Where are definite improvements on the opening tracks, and probably the best tracks on the album, but they both full of stupid “oooo’s” or “na na na na’s”. I can’t help thinking that theses parts would have been replaced by witty one-liners had it been 2 years ago. The interlude is easily the closest Bromheads get to Dits… on this record, and while I do like it, it’s a bit long and repetitive.
Promises Promises is a slow ballad but I’m really not sure of the sound they are going for, and I’m not sure they are, theres nothing to it that grabs you in the way Poppy Bird did the first time you heard it. “Aint it funny how people change” croones Tim, you can’t help wondering why they have. JFK Vs USA sounds back on the right track but they have once again insisted on adding a vocal part that’s just not needed, the same can be heard on the next track, Black Lions, and by this point in the album it just sounds like the band couldn’t find the words to fill a gap, at times it doesn’t even properly fit the music. A Fuzzy Feeling would be great if there wasn’t another bit of what is either backing vocals or a kazoo, either way it sounds stupid.
In a shocking turn of events, I really quite like album closer Yesterday’s Antics, but it that’s probably only because I quite like The Streets. This track would fit far better a long side the likes of Dry Your Eyes than some of the tracks on here.
There is nothing wrong with having a bit of instrumental in a song, but on On The Brain, Bromheads seem mortally afraid of it. Every bit of every song that isn’t filled with Tim’s, to be honest, mediocre (given his track record) lyrics is filled with incessant humming or whatever it is they are doing. I’m not sure what happened with this album, I expected a change but if you want to change your sound theres no reason to completely remove everything you were good at. Bromheads were good at witty, sometimes genius, lyrics and thrashing out a series of power chords that would put some of the best punk bands to shame, whereas On The Brain just sounds thin and dull. Yeah, I don’t really like it, so if you’ll excuse me I’ll return to Dits… and leave it there. Bring on the backlash.
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