MIDDLE BROTHER

Middle Brother

[Partisan]

Middle Brother’s eponymous debut affirms the fact that three voices, three acoustic guitars and a wealth of solid songwriting can prove just as mesmerizing as a high-gloss production, lavish pyrotechnics and all the stunts and special effects Lady Gaga has in her arsenal. Moonlighting from their day jobs, Middle Brother’s three prime movers—John McCauley of Deer Tick, Matt Vasquez of the Delta Spirit, and Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes—find a seamless blend that recalls the organic sensibilities of CSN, Neil Young and America, as well as the welcoming Americana of bands like the Avett Brothers, the Jayhawks and early Wilco. Though decidedly low-key and mostly unembellished, songs such as “Daydreaming,” “Portland” and “Wilderness” seize the heartstrings. –Lee Zimmerman