Brazil

The Philosophy of Velocity (Immortal)
by Scott Hefflon

Good thing about a band like Brazil is they can save a label from their other signings. First Fearless and now Immortal, Brazil is a young band that doesn’t blow chunks, and they keep the label from being an absolute joke. This is the band’s second outing, but people were falling all over themselves last time, touting them as the best indie band, the saviors of rock, but unless you hose them down, webzine journalists will froth like that. Mostly cuz they need to get out more, and they wanna make sure they don’t get dropped from the label’s comp mailing list.

Brazil is, however, and exciting band. The bio calls it a “thrilling, thick album,” and for once, I’m not planning a road trip to go slap a bio-writer silly for being such a lying sack of shit. Their prog is less wanky than The Mars Volta (hands-down the most overrated “artistic” band of our time). They’ve toured with Sparta and Coheed and Cambria, but also Engine Down and Rainer Maria. They’re from Indiana. They named themselves after the Terry Gilliam “dude, what were you on when you made this?” classic movie instead of an Elvis Costello lyric. And while “ambitious” and “artistic” are bandied about far too carelessly by reviewers who’re never held accountable for fan’s wasted money, Brazil is one of those rare bands the teenage girls comment they love on MySpace, and indie elitists also enjoy without needing to wash afterwards. You can recommend them to your friends who gave up on music in recent years cuz it’s all boy band crap. There’s something vaguely British and pouty-lipped about them. Something creative and bold, fearless.
(www.immortalrecords.com)