Brookhaven - Transitive Verses

by Adrian Huggins

published: 4 / 3 / 2006

Label: Select Label
Format: CD

Largely instrumental electronica-influenced rock from Oakland, California collective Brookhaven

Review

Brookhaven come from the same school of thought as Broken Social Scene. Based in and around Oakland, California, many of the musicians who play in it also play in other local bands. They play a mixture of extremely atmospheric music that blends together the regular rock music created by guitar, bass and drums, along with more electronica stylings. 'Transitive Verses' is a very peaceful album, but does this without being by any means quiet. It doesn’t really sound like one other thing, more several brought together. Some of the songs on it such as 'Tell You in Verse' and 'Black Phase' veer towards an indie guitar sound. The latter recalls the music of the Stone Roses at times. The vast majority of the album is instrumental. That can be sometimes be disconcerting when you first listen to an album. You find yourself wanting to have some sort of personal connection to the music, and this, of course, usually comes in the form of a singer and their voice. Without this luxury things, however, are very different. A lack of vocals can be compelling though. It’s like looking at a picture book where you have to work out what’s going on, rather than being told. On 'Transitive Verses' this, however,make for some pretty challenging listening at times, but on other tracks such as 'You Might Have Known' it can be totally captivating, speeding up and down and taking its listener with it. 'Static in the Valley', one of the more electronic sounding tracks, meanwhile sounds like Brit Dance band Faithless at their most intense. 'Transitive Verses' has some really exciting moments. At times though it really does feel like you are listening to a soundtrack to film, which may or may not have been the plan. You do also miss the vocals that can be so vital in making that connection with the music.