They Have The Blues

Soledad Brothers
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Thursday, March 16, 2006

Soledad Brothers, like a lot of Detroit blues-dipped rock bands, received a significant profile boost when The White Stripes became megastars in the early ’00s. The minimalist approach to rock music was chic, and bands across the country tried to sculpt a garage rock sound like the one Jack White and the Brothers already nailed.

It was only logical the Brothers (vocalist/guitarist Johnny Walker, drummer Ben Swank, and guitarist/saxophonist Oliver Henry) would get swept up in the tidal wave, given they already had the requisite sound and were closely tied to Jack White, who produced the band’s first 7-inch single in 1998 and their 2000 self-titled debut. So it wasn’t much of a surprise when the band released 2003’s Voice Of Treason through the major label Sanctuary. But while bands riding garage rock’s wings won plenty of critical acclaim, records — unless you were White Stripes or a select few others — didn’t sell, and only a few years later Soledad Brothers are back in the indie ranks.

But the fact The Hardest Walk, the band’s most recent album, is being released on Alive instead of Sanctuary doesn’t seem to concern the Brothers, nor do they dwell on it. They are too concerned with the future to worry about the past; the proof is in the bio, which emphasizes maturity, complexity, the vast array of exotic instruments used, and a desire to “transcend the rampant garage blues that characterized the band’s previous work.”But for all that kind of talk, *The Hardest Walk* is by all means a product of the band’s raucous rock past. The addition of instruments like sitar, flute, and theremin provide the ambitious edge on “”True To Zou Zou” the band are seeking, but the root of everything is still dusty blues and fuzzy garage rock — the slow shuffle of “Mean Ol’ Toledo;” the wailing harmonica of “Crying Out Loud (Tears Of Joy);” and the dirty-boot stomp of “Loup Garou.”Soledad Brothers may be itchin’ to move on stylistically, but lucky for us, they also know what they do best.

Soledad Brothers open for Heartless Bastards.

— Trevor Fisher

Click here to download Soledad Brothers’ “Downtown Paranoia Blues.” ‘

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly