Last year, I proclaimed The Brother Kite's Waiting for the Time to be Right one of the best records of the year, and I have to say that the record still strikes me in the same magical way it did when I first heard it. So I recommend it as highly as I did back then. The band's latest release, Moonlight Race, is ostensibly a single for the album song "Get On, Me." It's definitely a wonderful choice for a single; it's a medium-paced rocker with a slightly spaced-out vibe that is the perfect song for cruising down the interstate.

The B-sides, though, are a different story. Two of them are different versions of album tracks, one is a live version, and two are unreleased. "Hopeless and Unsung" is an acoustic ballad version, and though it's pleasant, it doesn't really compare to the full band version. "Unearthed/Digging In The Dirt" is a brief instrumental--very dark and ominous. "Half Century," another unreleased number, is jaunty and fast-paced; it's rougher than Waiting, but it's every bit as catchy as that record. It reminds me of early Weezer. "Never in Years" is a live recording from a radio broadcast, and captures the band without the studio sheen. It also reveals that the band is more than studio polish and obsessively produced songs.

Moonlight Race's real reward is the final song, "Waiting for the Time To Be Right." On the album, it's sonically similar to "Get On, Me," but the version here removes most of the instrumental accompaniment, leaving only harmonies, harmonium, and a beautifully plucked bass. In so doing, this song reveals just how indebted to Pet Sounds their music is. It's a wonderful song, but it also makes me thankful that the band didn't overwhelm Waiting with arrangements like this; after all, do we really need another Beach Boys rehash?

Listen To: "Get On, Me"

The Brother Kite's Moonlight Race EP is available now on Clairecords

Labels: Clairecords, The Brother Kite

posted by joseph kyle @ 5:35 PM

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