Album Details

• Artist: Brown Shoe
• Album: Jackalope
• Label: Self-Released
• Year of Release: 2008
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2008-09-22

The brothers of Brown Shoe have returned for their 3rd offering in as many years. There's something to be said for being consistent, and consistently good. After The Wheat Patch and then Vanity opened doors for major media attention and shows across the country, Cali's best-kept alt-rock secret fell back into the studio with Joe Johnston (Deftones, Cake) to assemlbe Jackalope.

Their sound hasn't changed much at all, a natural continuation of what they were doing on Vanity. That would be, artsy pop-rock that relies on big, sweeping melodies, tight basslines and a heavenly atmosphere. An intriguing mix of sounds you'd hear from bands like Coldplay, Sigur Ros, Animal Collective and so on. "Cheery" is a word you'd use, but plenty of the lyrics work as a counterpoint to the sunshiney tunes. The album's first half is it's strongest, with two songs that should garner Brown Shoe with even more recognition; opener "Take This Paper And Burn It" and my favorite,the anthemic "Aquarium". If Vanity held an aquatic theme beneath it's surface as I had thought, then Jackalope has more to do with the dirt, the ground, roots and rocks and foundations. Other noteworthy tracks: "Uh Oh", "Pulp" (the album's best instrumental passages, really beautiful work) and "The War", another song that has single potential written all over it.

Brown Shoe are definitely getting better with each release, and while this album is not the 2nd coming, it is certainly going down as one any fan of melodic, soulful and uplifting rock music. They're still able to do it honest, which is the absolute hardest thing for a band with pop tendencies to pull off. If this band isn't being talked about all over the internet by the end of the year, I'll be shocked. This one will most likely end up on more than a few best-of-the-year lists. 

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