Former Deli Album Of the Month WRITER return with their follow up full length album “Principle Web.” Out on Small Plates Records, the ten track long player can be acquired in either digital or the once again popular vinyl format. Current single “Neighborly” presents a hypnotic drum beat straight outta Creedence Clearwater Revivals 1968 hit “Suzie Q,” as buzzy, distorted guitar and bass hover on a singular note before moving into a three chord progression. Chanted vocals come delivered with a mantra-like “I love – all of you.” A full minute in and the vocal cadence quickens, delivering simple observations like “there’s a shortage of clean laundry, and a mound of plastic bags” with the following verse declaring “there’s a party” as well as “a new tree that was planted.” In place of where one might traditionally expect a guitar solo is a falsetto vocal melody, moving it all closer to David Lynch film soundtrack weirdness. Harder power rock guitar chords lead the charge towards an ending that conjures the sound of a car wreck explosion. The accompanying video directed by Brooklyn-based visual artist Paul Remund portrays moving images in stark black and white, distorted by a form of digital cubism. - Dave Cromwell

Brooklyn's brothers band WRITER (James and Andy Ralph) announced today the release of their sophomore album 'Principle Web,' out on April 8th via Small Plates Records. While doing so they also took the opportunity to share single, "Mosquito Bitten," (streaming below). With its guttural, fuzzy, power chord propelled distorted guitars and slow melodies reminiscent of a darker, more menacing version of Weezer, the single inserts the band in the '90s rock revival that has been taking Brooklyn by storm in the first half of the decade. Knowing the band, though (see our previous coverage here), we can expect more experimental and tense material in the rest of the record. For those who can't wait, they can find out how their new songs sound on February 10, when the group will be playing at the Bowery Ballroom.

Few bands rock as properly as Brooklyn's WRITER, both on record and live. The band's debut LP "Brotherface" was our NYC album of the month this past June, and since then the duo has raised their profile quite a bit - and got a new Agency Group booking agent, which should help a lot. You'll be able to see them live at The Deli's CMJ Indie Stage at Pianos on Friday 10.18 (final schedule to be announced soon), and while waiting check out this new video they just released for droney single "IE."

Brother acts have been a staple of rock music history since the very beginning of it all. From the Everlys to the Kinks' Davies through the JAMC’s Reids, The Black Crowes' Robinsons and Oasis’ Gallaghers, a rich tradition has continued throughout each new generation. Enter Andy and James Ralph and their wonderfully named band WRITER to the mix. Celebrating this alignment to the fullest, they’ve titled their debut album “Brotherface,” a record that marries an edgy, "uber-saturated" production with impressively consistent songwriting.

Leadoff track “Head to Toe” booms with percussive force and well placed buzz-bomb guitars, yet the space left open allows for emphasis to be placed on the voices and the story they tell. "Hot Days" (streaming), is the closest thing to "pop" this band can offer, coming off as an even fuzzier version of old time favorite Enon. “Miss Mermaid” kicks the production value up a notch. The booming, live sounding drums are still there, but guitar layers are introduced together with heavily effected vocals, creating an otherworldly sheen. There’s a Ska rhythm guitar progression alternating with a twangy western melody line. The under two minute “Swamp Fire Lake” pairs submerged vocal effects against a swampy delta blues, bringing to mind the rawness of The Kills' first album. “Family Dinner” continues the loose tom tom and tambourine percussion motif, this time matched with guitars placing emphasis on the low end bass notes. “Barefoot Art” finds buzzy electronic keyboards pulsing like a telephone receiver left off the hook after the call has ended. Tambourine stands out as the primary percussive motion, providing ample space for the vocal storytelling. “Cash For Gold” pummels like The Velvet Underground through a Jesus & Mary Chain filter. The observatory lyrics “better find some gold and sell it quickly” underscores the instant money grab imagery we are bombarded with on a daily basis. “North Park Fairies” emphasizes clock ticking percussion (with the ever present tambourine) supporting further processed multi-layered vocals in a wide open spaciousness. Album closer “Dry Hands” serves as the big and bombastic finale. Heavily reverberated voices ride atop booming drums and hard plucked guitar notes. The mood is all vibe and texture. With “oh yeah, oh yeah” as the essential lyrical theme. - Dave Cromwell