???A collision of poppy choruses, segued with slow driven folk and a dash of rock'n'roll circumscribes Kevin Devine's latest album, Brother's Blood.
???After being abruptly dropped from Capitol Records after the release of Put Your Ghost to Rest, Devine utilized all the trials and tribulations of long weeks of touring to create his most exploratory and cohesive album yet.
???Incorporating electronic drums, Devine's first single, "I Could Be with Anyone," is a fast-paced rock song infused with a catchy chorus that is sure to be stuck in any listener's head for days.
???The single is one of the few radio-friendly tracks on the album, as the rest are based around Devine's typical acoustic folk style.
???Opening the album is "All of Everything, Erased," a strong, yet a simple acoustic number that allows Devine to showcase his exceptional lyrical ability.
???"I watched its buckets dip and dance/ I saw a couple making love lock hands/ They were pushing for abandon and the answers it could bring/ 90 million miles from the graveyard growing over everything," Devine sings.
???Concluding the same way he opens, acoustic closers "Yr Husband" and "Tomorrow's Just Too Late" provide a mellow ending to the album.
???Alongside Devine's melodious solo numbers is a string of harder sounding mid-tempo gems reminiscent of his own "Cotton Crush."
???"Time to Burn (Another Bag of Bones)" treads along slowly until its powerful bass line kicks in, ultimately building up to a soaring guitar solo.
???The title track "Brother's Blood" is a seven-minute-plus epic with glimpses of Pink Floyd's brooding guitar work laced throughout. Dark and gloomy, Devine transforms his calming voice into vocal distress as he lyrically weeps.
???"It's my brother's back/ It's my father's arms/ Every twisted fact / In my sorry heart," Devine sings.
???Filling out the rest of the track listing are more experimental tracks such as "Fever Moon," "Murphy's Song," and "Carnival."
???"Fever Moon" uses a similar string progression to Devine's acoustic version of the Brand New hit "Jesus Christ," but unlike the latter, slips into a monotonous hum after the first minute.
???What seems to be Devine's most experimental track yet, "Carnival" treats listeners to a harrowing story as the whimsical track twists and contorts to pleasure the listener's ears.
???"See I tamed a lion once, I stole his roar/ Stripped his pride away, but he found more/ So now he's out to take what's his and shove/ My future in my face and scare me back in my place/ So soon, so soon, you've got it beat 'til it eats you," Devine sings.
???What started off as one of Devine's lowest points in life has now conformed into an album teeming with brutal honesty and wonderful musicianship. Despite some hiccups, Brother's Blood is Kevin Devine's beacon of light as his most cohesive and impressive album yet.
