Elder Brother has a strong hold on the 90s alt-rock sound and deliver it in droves on Heavy Head. That particular sound isn’t really edgy right now and is played out but it still works as a good vehicle for Elder Brother to deliver their message. The album is all about the lyrics. Not just storytelling lyrics but the clean, crisp one line lyrics that stand alone to tell their own story.

“I didn’t say enough but at least I didn’t talk too much” is a great example of this from one of the more rocking songs on the record “Lightning Bug.” These one line pull out gems re-occur several times like the simple line “Youth is wasted on the young” from the title track, “Heavy Head.”  Many of the songs are cut from the same patterned cloth but they don’t try to hide it. The first and second songs share many similarities but the differences aren’t in the music in most cases on the album. The vocal strain on on “Any Sort of Pain” works as a hook in its own right and only highlights the lyrics more. A crescendo builds making “In My Bones” come to an edgy conclusion, making it one of the album’s highlights. The small distinguishing factors make this album interesting, the lyrics steal the show on nearly every song and that itself makes Heavy Head worth a listen.

Key Tracks: “Lightning Bug” “In My Bones”