Supergroups are inevitable. Fueled by the natural desire to improve upon formulas that have already been confirmed as successful, already-established artists tend to venture outside their regular creative bubbles and join other recognized artists in co-ops that have names like Cream, The Highwaymen, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and Broken Bells.
Sometimes it works (UGK, The Traveling Wilburys); sometimes it crashes and burns (Boxcar Racer, Velvet Revolver). But when everything clicks as it should, the results can be magical.
Enter Middle Brother. Formed by Matt Vasquez, Taylor Goldsmith, and John J. McCauley III (who respectively front Delta Spirit, Dawes, and Deer Tick), the group’s self-titled debut LP makes them sound like the latest reincarnation of Americana’s Holy Trinity. Sure, Jim James, Conor Oberst, and M. Ward might’ve successfully tried their hand at a similar concept when they put Monsters of Folk together, but Middle Brother’s 12-track contribution to the tradition is pleasantly devoid of the mysticism and occasionally heavy-handed vibe that MOF sometimes present.
