Review: The Burden Brothers - 'Mercy'
Posted: 10 November 2006
Contributed By: Nick

Overview: The Burden Brothers are a group comprised of former members of The Toadies, Reverend Horton Heat, and Slow Roosevelt. Vaden Todd Lewis, former Toadies front man, began working with Patrick "Taz" Bentley on a new project, after becoming acquainted when their two former bands toured together. The guys churned out an early demo with grunge legends Matt Cameron and Kim Thayil (both formerly of Soundgarden), and eventually wound up back in Dallas to feverishly write and prepare for a new group. Lewis and Bentley searched for and found the missing pieces, and the band, now called The Burden Brothers, released their debut 'Buried In Your Black Heart' in 2003. The album prompted two minor radio hits in "Beautiful Night" and "Shadow", and rigorous touring followed. The band convened in early 2006 to record their new album and unveiled 'Mercy' on Halloween of this year. Look for the band playing select shows with Hinder and heading out for a full scale tour in 2007.

The Good: 'Mercy' follows 'Buried In Your Black' heart with its post-grunge/alternative rock patterns, but its diversity sets the Burden Brothers' sophomore offering apart from its predecessor. Sounds of mid-90's rock in the wake of The Toadies, Seven Mary Three, and Everclear are heavily evident in tracks such as the sultry "Still", the highly infectious "Everybody Is Easy", and the overall polish and overtones of "On Our Own". The Burden Brothers flash their grunge roots in the frenetic "Shine", as well as the rugged and sludgy "I Am A Cancer", which sounds reminiscent of Weezer's older work. The band's style transforms on their slower tracks like "Daughter of Science" and "Life Between", achieving a rather unexpected indie rock sound. The Burden Brothers show off their country western vision on the unique "Trick of Logic", while the group's dynamic element is portrayed by "Oh, Cecilia". 'Mercy' has many hidden surprises, highlighting the exquisite songwriting skills of the band.

The Bad: Unlike 'Buried In Your Black Heart', the Burden Brothers fail to produce a standout track on 'Mercy', allowing each song to blend helplessly into the next, despite the creative approach to each tune. The recording quality of the record, although a creative idea for the alternative and grungy style of 'Mercy', is muddy and outright bland, hindering the album's many infusions. 'Mercy' is a longer record, but certain songs, including the desperate closer "Liberated" and the uninspiring ballad "In My Sky" could have been excluded for good measure. The Burden Brothers do plenty of experimentation with 'Mercy', but their overall sound fails to stray from the influence of the members' previous bands, most notably The Toadies.

Bottomline: 'Mercy' is a heartfelt second disc from the Burden Brothers, and although it may lack the commerciality of 'Buried In Your Black Heart', it still contains enough originality and pizzazz to satisfy stalwart Toadies fans waiting for something new from Lewis. 'Mercy' is a step outside the box, as the Burden Brothers toy with so many different genres to construct a rather complex, yet eclectic and enjoyable listen for every ear. The Burden Brothers may have abandoned a shot at scoring frequent airplay, but instead, they have risen above their peers in regards to songwriting and diversity, elements which 'Mercy' is chockfull of.

Rating: 7 out of 10