The Arthur Brothers

Soaring peaks and dark canyons.
Blazing light and deep space.
A manifesto.
An undertaking of magnitude, of ambition, with all the pain and glory that comes with such a preposterous quest.
A labour of love.
An expedition.
An exploration of sound launched from a basecamp fueled with classic ideals and mad ideas.
Nine Summit climbs.

'Nine' is The Arthur Brothers debut album, and as openings to press release’s go, the above is pretty darn eye catching. And BOY! the accompanying album is just as good on the ears.

A journey that began 9 orbits ago, when the talented brothers Matt and Danny Arthur met the producer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist J. C. Wright, and they collectively embarked upon a colossal creative enterprise, a meandering musical adventure…. an undertaking that can only be described as...’art for art’s sake’. Recorded in a dilapidated old warehouse in North London - now known as the ClearLight SoundCave - with broken windows, cracked concrete, parquet flooring and a cavernous sounding art-deco stairwell, which collectively feature heavily in the tonality and ambience of the album. A DIY approach ultimately flourishing into a majestic sonic proclamation.

The resulting nine tracks come in at 51 minutes long, and deliver a psychedelic, intergalactic hit of rock n roll. Filled with glorious sweeping soundscapes, haunting harmonies, and echoing guitars, fans of Flaming Lips, Ennio Morricone, Pink Floyd, Tears For Fears or The Velvet Underground should be flocking towards this remarkable debut.

Opening with the visceral tribal thunder of ‘Ninth’, into the gleaming electric light pop of ‘Lovesunk’, through the schizophrenic genre-travelogue of ‘Violet Hum’ and the A.I. post-modern rock opera of ‘Watson’, Nine is guided by captivating vocal melodies and compelling lyrical themes. An eclectic cinematic sound: big strings, charismatic guitars, grandiose pianos, vast drums, punchy brass, ethereal choirs, barbershop quartets, and ever evolving intricate arrangements with surprises round every corner...typewriter beatboxes, cambodian violins, vibraphones, thumb pianos, accordions, harmoniums, harps, cosmic synths, toy megaphones...everything and the kitchen sink.

Albums of this scope are a true rarity, especially in the form of a debut release. The Arthur Brothers have delivered one of the most remarkable debut albums in years and years. Dripping with blood, sweat, and tears, ‘Nine’ definitely get a 10 from me, and will do from everyone else who discovers this essential space-bound debut.