Brandtson – Death & Taxes

Well I got this CD in the mail today, and have not stopped listening to it since. It has taken me by total surprise and has captured me in its melodramatic, soft emo sound. It attracts your attention and pulls you inside a musical paradise full of powerful emotions, striking vocals with carefully planned out lyrics, intoxicating melodies and a steady silky smooth sound. It is a 20 minute album that has the need to be played and be heard.

Opening the CD is You Do The Science, a steady combination of drums, bass and guitar opens it all up, it then goes softer for the vocals to come in. Most of the song is soft, with a couple outbreaks off powerful music. A minute 44 seconds into it, it all goes quiet as a steady guitar rhythm starts to play with whispering vocals atop of it. It then picks up the speed again and gets back to the normal pace. It is a decent song to open the album, but not one of the better ones on Death & Taxes.

On Three is the second song, and a more mellow song then the previous. Catchy vocals, with witty catch phrases (“They say what doesn’t kill you only makes you, you know stronger“). The song is song of epic proportions, telling you to battle on past past difficulties and never giving up. Just take a look at the chorus and you know what I mean:
“Jump, jump in with both feet forward, don’t give in to all those voices that are telling you about past failures, killing you before you’ve had your chance to live”
The melody is a slow one, with a couple out breaks where it all just stops for the chorus to commence. It is a incredible song. Circa 1991 is really a non-descript song. It has once again a steady slow melodramatic feel to it, but with nothing spectacular about it.

In The Pills is by far my favorite song on the album. It starts of different from the rest of the album, with a small drum solo before introducing the other elements. The vocals are the most impressing portion on this song, and stands out in throughout the whole CD. They are the major part of the song out doing all the musical instruments (but  the song would no be anywhere without the instruments, they go in perfect harmony and synchronization to the vocals.) Really, I can’t even begin to find words to describe the power behind the vocals, just listen and you will feel the same way. Next we come up to Ain’t No Trip To Cleveland and it is my second favorite. It is a song quite different from the aforementioned ones. It has a jumpier feel and energizing feel behind it. The vocals are catchy and very simple, all in a fashion of a toast (“Here’s to new beginnings…”).  After they say “We wrote this song, It’s four chords long. We hope you sing along” they go into a steady tune that fits perfectly with the song and they the go back into the chorus again. These two songs are incredible to say the least.

The final song (In A Word)  is the slowest, longest and has the least amount of lyrics. It is a perfect song to end the album with. A nice and slow moving song with steady vocals at key moments. A nice relaxing way to top of this extravagant CD by Brandtson!