The Brothers Steve – #1

Earlier this year, Jeff Whalen gave us 10 More Rock Super Hits, a throwback to the Super K Productions of yesteryear and one of the best albums of 2019. Here, Whalen reunites with former Tsar members Jeff Solomon and Steve Coulter (plus a couple newcomers) to give us The Brothers Steve and a brand new batch of pop nuggets.

While “She” is not a cover of the familiar Monkees song, the sound will bring you back to those days of Saturday morning TV pop-bubblegum bands. It’s Marshall Crenshaw catchy. The band takes a minimalist approach with “Carolanne” with an understated guitar and pleasing harmonies adorning a very catchy melody. It’s an example of the less is more principle used effectively.

There are elements to several of these songs that make them instantly familiar. Is the beginning of “C’mon Pappy” somewhat reminiscent of The Bangles’ “Going Down to Liverpool”? Do the harmonies during the chorus of “Songwriter” remind you just a tad of “Paperback Writer”? Maybe yes, maybe no. Either way, these guys make great use of familiar elements to create the “hits” power pop people really dig.

For now, the album is only available on limited-edition blue vinyl. GET THE VINYL HERE. Plans are underway to make the album available through other mediums later this year.