Mother Brother is a quartet based in Bridgeport, CT. A self-proclaimed mix of rock, funk, alternative, grunge, groove, pop, and experimental, the band incorporates a wide variety of sounds, ranging from mellow keyboard to upbeat strings to ambient techno and speedy beatboxing. Their most recent release, a free digital album called “Purdy,” contains three songs. But their release date is just about all that the songs have in common.
“Hate Song” begins with the light din of cymbals and drums and leads into a slow, sad song about a “sickening day” in a “tired town.” It’s a soft, smooth and only somewhat depressing tune. Amanda Bloom, the vocalist, would do great at a smoky Paris nightclub. The last 25 seconds are filled with relentless digital noises that sound like a fax machine. I suppose they’re meant to contrast the vintage feel of the melody, but the contrast is too harsh and effectively destroys the mood created by the sultry vocals.
The mood changes completely, however, during “Rainbow Ride.” Its fast-paced mix of glockenspiel, vinyl scratches, horn arrangements and groove box are reminiscent of Beck. The lyrics are nonsensical in a good way, including gems such as “Everything’s normal when you’re talking to the toads, and the continents are pushing toward the carrot on their nose.” There’s nothing too avant-garde about this song, so it definitely appeals to a larger demographic than the other two.
“Strange Girl” is the requisite song about a love interest, but is pretty original in its execution. Phrases like “morning bruises” and “rotten breath” are not all too often found in love songs. It starts with some slow, bright chords, then speeds up about a minute in with the addition of groovy bass. Matt Vitti’s gentle and breathy vocals combine with Beatles-esque harmonies to create not only a catchy song, but an intelligent one.
Mother Brother works with a multitude of sounds to create dynamic and original music. Although short, this album proves that they have the potential to be successful in more than just one genre. Their problem now seems to be blending too many of these genres into each song.

“Purdy” is available for free download at http://motherbrother.bandcamp.com/album/purdy