Brother Danielson - Brother:Son
(Secretly Candian)
A lot of times when people hear the words "Christian rock" they immediately make the assumption that the music will be terrible. Of course, by now the Danielson Famile has enough of a reputation that, for many people, their music overshadows their religious affiliation, but I still get the sense that the average listener isn't quite comfortable with Christian music no matter how good it is. There's no point in speculating as to exactly why people would be uncomfortable with someone else's faith but regardless of what your relationship with Jesus is like, I know that Daniel Smith's music would be far less powerful if he removed his faith from the lyrics. In a world flooded with depressive songwriters Smith's piercing voice singing about kindness, faithfulness, and the rest of the nine fruits is beyond refreshing. Being Christian clearly gives Daniel Smith's music passion and a focus that most people just don't have.
Brother:Son is the first album from Br. Danielson, the Daniel Smith solo project that comprises one-third of the Danielson enterprise, Tri-Danielson (the other two being the Danielson Famile and the less documented Danielsonship). Lyrically this is probably the strongest Danielson record but musically it's a little lacking. Because this is a home recorded solo album (despite the huge number of Famile members and other guests), many of the more rowdy songs lack the power of the full Famile and leave me wanting more than what I'm given. Songs like "Things Against Stuff" and "Our Givest" are signature Danielson Famile but in this context lack the power of the Famile in full force and end up sounding slightly empty, as though they are on the verge of something more.
My other big complaint with Brother:Son is the number of songs that find themselves ending in repetition. "Cookin' Mid-County" and "Sweet Sweeps" are both dangerously near the 10-minute mark and many other shorter songs still descend into Smith playing and singing the same part over and over again. I'm never one to criticize an artist for straying from their usual formula, but when the Danielson Famile is so good because of their clarity and passion it seems underwhelming when they resort to repetition to propel a song.
Because many of the louder songs feel somewhat empty it's no surprise that the moments of total departure from what we're used to are also the most satisfying moments. It's the extremely scaled down and quiet songs like "Hammer Sitting Still" that make up the most special moments. If the album was filled with sweet and careful songs like that one instead of almost-as-good-as-the-full-band songs, it would be a really powerful statement, and the three branches of Tri-Danielson would be unique entities instead of three sides of the same coin.
All quibbles about Brother:Son aside, it's still a fantastic album full of sublime moments of musical rejoice. The lyrics range from scathing social criticism to songs of love and devotion and are easily the finest he's written to date; they are the centerpiece of a powerful musical vision. The Danielsons have so much love for what they do and only want to share that love with the world. Each song is filled with care and devotion, and that can be appreciated by anyone regardless of your religious beliefs. A carpenter and evangelist, Daniel Smith "gives gifts of loving love" to us the same way He does in "Our Givest". But what else could we expect?
"To tell you all the truth the son can only do what he sees his pappa do."
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