Bracket – Live in a Dive – Review

Bracket

Live in a Dive (Fat)
by Tim Den

Bracket have always been different from the rest of Fat Wreck Chords’ bands. They don’t have funny haircuts, wallet chains, snotty accents, the quintessential “fuck off” attitude, and they don’t play fast. Come to think of it… how the hell did they get on Fat in the first place? Aaaaaaanyway, these qualities have alienated Bracket from most of the label’s audience… but they’ve also proven – in time – that they’re probably the most original Fat act. Throwing in alt-country licks, jazzed-up three-part vocal harmonies, unconventional chord progressions, and serving it all on a platter of mid-tempo power pop, Bracket are simply too smart for their audience. There’s nothing for “the kids” to hang on to: No identity to sell, no “alternative” physical features to emulate, just the best songs Randy Newman never wrote for punk.

Juggling minor and major chord changes, Bracket’s songs ooze with finesse. These guys write shit that demands you to pay attention when you sing along, cuz before you know it, the keys are changing, the tempo’s changing, and the harmony goes from a third to a fifth. Can you tell how much I’ve listened to this record? And they’re doing all this live too!

Enough drooling. The Live in a Dive series continues to impress with its choice of bands, its pure sound quality, and the flawless performances of the bands. Bracket’s contribution is the best one yet. And I for one will be telling everyone I know about this quartet of brilliance.
(PO Box 193690 San Francisco, CA 94119)