Brahm Built To Be Brought Down CD

You never know what to expect from a record on the Lujo label, do you? Well, that's not completely true -- you know that much of the time you can expect about an hour's worth of hellacious noise. But then they pull a fast one on you. The front cover of Brahm's second album (first for Lujo) features a painting of a semi-nude woman in an attitude of despair, and the back cover lists songs with titles like "Out of the Ashes of Destruction," "Catacombs," and "Night's Hollow Stare." Expecting a less funny version of, say, Lightning Bolt, you put the disc in the player and -- surprise! You get a sometimes harsh but generally funky and even lighthearted mix of sounds, an album in which even the crunchiest track has a sweet candy center. That's not to say that everything is exactly cheerful, or even that everything is exactly interesting: a few of these tracks fall flat, notably the aimlessly jazzy retro-funk of "Next Time, Fists Will Fly" and the even more aimless and less funky "Wings Like Razors." But "The Stars in Your Hair" offers a nice, long excursion into glitchy drum'n'bass with orchestral samples, "The Skull" offers the opportunity to dance a jig if you're so inclined (and listen carefully enough to suss out the time signature), and "A Chandelier of a Man" creates a mood of quiet, strangely off-kilter contemplation. Definitely worth hearing overall. ~ Rick Anderson

\"Built to be Brought Down\", the sophmore album from Brahm. Brahm\'s debut Album, \"A Thousand Curves\", was a CD Baby favorite including the track \"I Wish I Could Sample and Loop Your Brightest Moment\" which was track 1 on the CD Baby Compilation-No Words, Just Action. Brahm\'s second album is a more focused, enlightening, frightening and engaging descent into the magic he creates when the needle skips, the record pops, the static ensues, the machine breaks and the melodies are formed out of the ashes of destruction.

Recording information: Depth Charge Studios, Burke, VA (12/2002-12/2003); The Greenhouse (12/2002-12/2003).

Brahm: Nathan Burke (vocals); Chaz Barber, Rachel Burke.

Personnel: Natalie Burke (vocals, guitar); Rachel Burke (vocals).