The Blood Brothers album poll

For the uninitiated (if you happen to wander in):

Rumours Laid Waste is a fans-only affair as far as I'm concerned, recorded when the band was in its early stages and its members were barely out of/possibly still in their teens.

This Adultery is Ripe is a tight little collection of psycho pop tunes - 10 tracks, 21 minutes. Not as sophisticated as their later work, but it features some of their most infectious material, particularly "Doctor! Doctor!".

March on, Electric Children! is one of the most compact concept albums ever - 9 tracks, 24 minutes, and not a microsecond wasted. The potential of the two-screamer approach is finally realized. Sleepaway Camp is referenced and "The Perfect Drug" is sampled. It ends with a piano ballad of sorts.

Burn, Piano Island, Burn! is their most acclaimed record - their major label debut (because for some reason ArtistDirect took a listen to March On and thought they could market them) and by far their most musically dense record. Twice the length of its predecessor, but carrying on much of its symbolism. Songs so labyrinthine that some of them were never attempted live. Produced by nu-metal svengali Ross Robinson, who predictablymakes them sound more metal and less punk, and describes them as the most professional band he'd ever worked with (not that hard, but still impressive considering their young age).

Crimes retreats from complexity and wall-of-noise screamathons to deliver compact, piano-punctuated gothic punk tunes, with the occasional blistering metal bit thrown in here and there. Produced some singles that would be perfectly palatable now ("Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck," "Peacock Skeleton WIth Crooked Feathers") but were too out-there to give them any real exposure. John Goodmanson on the boards, flattening the attack but expanding the sonic palate.

Young Machetes is their Hail to the Thief, the kitchen-sink record that's longer and has more tracks than any of their other albums, and is their most diversely entertaining release. Hard to believe that a band that shared space on a DVD release with Cattle Decapitation and The Locust would ever turn out glam-pop gems like "Street Wars" or "Spit Shine Your Black Clouds," or pull off a Nick Cave-esque western creep like "The Giant Swan," yet here they are. Oh, and there's a four-song streak of two-minute hardcore tunes, and one of them is called "Huge Gold AK-47."

The last two albums were weak.

No way. Young Machetes was strong as ever.

I think BPIB earns this, if only because it's so monumental.

Haven't listened to any of their albums in a few years though. I never even got around to Young Machetes. I'll check it out.

I really liked Young Machetes, especially since Crimes didn't do anything for me really, and BPIB has great songs but a fucking AWFUL production. Indeed, BPIB is the And Justice for All... of post-hardcore.

So I'm going with March On Electric Children (which could do with a punchier remix itself, but it's still killer from start to finish).

Come to think of it, I wrote a review of it years ago where I described Johnny Whitney as Guy Picciotto on helium. So it was kind of fitting that Guy himself produced their last one.

my favourite is definitely piano island. from the opening chords of 'guitarmy' you know you're in for an earsplitting, soaringly creative ride as well as a damn good time. also has some stunning standalone tracks like 'ambulance vs ambulance' and 'cecilia and the silhouette saloon'

am a big fan of crimes too and am partial to march on, electric children. but piano island is just such a thrill

for me, Blood Brothers are the definitive example of a band that improved with each successive release. AvsA and Cecilia might be my fave individual BB tracks, but the consistent greatness of Young Machetes shows up Piano Island as kind of patchy in comparison. in between I understand why some people don't like Crimes so much, but they rong.

Young Machetes is prob a top 5 album of the decade for me and would definitely be the album i voted for were it not for the fact that ILX insists i have already voted :(

Yeah, Machetes is definitely underrated. I was shocked at the lukewarm reviews. I could easily vote for any of the last four albums, they've all got their charms. I think I'll go for Machetes since the other records should be well-supported.

For those who didn't know, Johnny and Cody are now in Jaguar Love with Jay Clark of Pretty Girls Make Graves, and their debut Take Me to the Sea is out in August on Matador. The other three have formed a band called Past Lives with Devin Welch, a former Blood Brother from the Rumours Laid Waste era. So basically it's the next At the Drive-In-style breakup.

Neon Blonde (Johnny and Mark) is definitely worth checking out too.

Yep, Chandeliers in the Savannah is a really fun record. "Headlines" and "Chandeliers and Vines" are up there with the best BB tunes.

I had no idea that Neon Blonde was the same people—I picked Chandeliers up last year after hearing a couple tracks and really digging them, but when I heard Blood Brothers (who'd been hyped to death but I kinda missed, dunno how), I thought, man, they sound like Neon Blonde, but I don't dig that glossy metal thing. I thought, These guys were supposed to be a punk band! Oh, the dangers of casual music listening.

Of the three I've heard (the last three), Crimes has the catchiest tunes.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000GDH8TM.01._SS400_SCLZZZZZZZ_V39706354_.jpg

Thought this might be a thread of yours

Piano Island, I think, for the sheer force. Young Machetes could have been anyone who really tried but Piano Island could only have been the Blood Brothers.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Anyone surprised?

I still think the production is crap. If it didn't sound so fucking compressed, I would have voted for it over March On...

I'm surprised there were that many votes, but I'm not surprised by the winner.

I got Young Machetes two weeks ago and it's awesome. Crimes is the only one I don't have but I would change my vote to Machetes in a heartbeat. I'm glad they ended on Machetes because it's ridiculously dense. Comments up thread were otm.

I'm glad they ended on Machetes because it's ridiculously dense.

Agreed. It was a great way to bow out.

this band was sick. at the drive-in reissues being reviewed in pitchfork made me wonder why more people don't talk about blood brothers.

first 10 seconds of "cecilia and the silhouette saloon" is one my favorite intros ever

yeah i loved these guys, they're basically the only band i listened to during my screamo phase that actually holds up today. also, with their dual screamers, they put on some of the most intense live shows i've ever seen

i had pretty high hopes for Past Lives and dug the EP, but i was kinda disappointed by their full length

the first jaguar love record is good and the second is... yeah.