I’ve said it before, but one of my greatest music related regrets was not buying the beautiful signed Brakes CD at Rough Trade on a trip to London three years ago. It was signed in gold! Sigh. The reason why it still hurts to even think about it, is because Brighton-based Brakes is one of those bands that I hold in especially high regard. Though I have a hard time explaining why this particular band turns me into a squealing fangirl. The individual songs on Give Blood from 2005 are amazing, but as a true classic album, to really appreciate them you have to hear the record as a whole. Even though the topics might differ, it feels like the songs tell a story, it may not be a coherent story, but to me there’s a direct link between “Pick Up the Phone” and “You’re So Pretty” right after it. They have a punk mentality to conventional song structures and aren’t boxed in by genres. I love that they follow up “Jackson”, a classic country cover, with the raucous dance sounds of “All Night Disco Party”. Some songs are all chorus and some are barely longer than the pause in between tracks, which excites and tickles me every time I listen to Give Blood.

Alright, this is where I have to stop myself. I could go on and on, about how some of their lyrics have become part of the Bean’s and my vocabulary, and covering what’s great about every single song. Instead, I’ll spare you the details and offer some ear candy, inlcuding the brief political ballad “Cheney” – which isn’t even their shortest song.

   Brakes – NY Pie
   Brakes – What’s In It For Me?
   Brakes – Cheney