Brother Danielson – Brother Is To Son
(Sounds Familyre/Secretly Canadian)

Daniel Smith, eldest brother and leader of Clarksboro, New Jersey’s The Danielson Famile, has been busy since the Famile’s 2001 release “Fetch the Compass Kids”. When he’s not hand-sewing pillow cases or creating other ‘great comfort stuff’, he’s running Sounds Familyre, his very own record label. Although the Famile itself has been dormant over the last couple of years, Daniel continued to tour with his nine fruit tree, playing stripped down versions of Danielson Famile songs with the help of Sufjan Stevens and available members of the Famile. Now he’s taken the solo act to the next level with the release of ‘Brother is to Son”, Brother Danielson’s first solo album.

The perfect thing about this album is that it’s a complete representation of Daniel Smith, right down to the signature artwork and handwritten lyric sheet. You’re hearing and seeing exactly what Daniel wants you to hear, without any outside interference. Although this technically is a solo album, we still hear help from Daniel’s family and friends, including Soul Junk’s Glen Galaxy and Daniel’s touring partner and adopted Famile member Sufjan Stevens. Although the song writing is somewhat toned down a notch from the quirky stop-start sing-a-longs featured on previous recordings, the sound of the Famile still shines through in the form of sleigh bells, banjo, piano and catchy back up vocals.

“Things Against Stuff” starts the album off perfectly, showcasing what the family does best. A poppy-folk EXPLOSION of cheer and cynicism. “Unbox the blox and let’s build, good and bad taste, inlaws and out. Together we’ll shout to all!!” The album carries on to the seven and a half minute epic, “Cookin’ Mid-County”. Sufjan Stevens provides prominent banjo picking as Daniel covers most of the vocals on his own. The song builds up to a signature high pitched blast from Daniel and friends singing: “I hear the campfire trumpets callin’, blastin with a sound of triumph callin’..” The album ends with the title track “Brother:Son”, capturing a child-like melody backed by lyrics supporting the on-going theme of family, spirituality and joy with the proclamation that Daniel is “outright anti-miserable”.

Although this album could pass as a fifth Danielson Famile LP, there are minor aspects of it that separate it from the usual carnival fair that the Famile brings with them. This is a more sombre Danielson, however still maintaining all of the quirks and signatures that make the Danielson Famile one of my personal favourite bands and one of the most original pop around. — Jay C.