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Not every song is amazing, but a strong effort from the band either way.-
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| Third Brigade: Some of Us Even Have Pets |
Alternative Rock, Hard Rock
Self-released
2011
- Welcome - 0:58
- The Other - 3:59
- Elines Song - 4:06
- 21/22 - 5:42
- The Cocktail - 4:07
- Eclectic You - 3:13
- I Don't Regret It - 3:34
- Secrets - 3:30
- Down with a Smile - 7:55
- This Accident - 2:24
- Streetlight Silhouette - 3:50
- Sideways - 5:56
- Eclectic You (Nachspiel Version) - 2:21
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| Review Information |
Release length: 51:33
Review posted on October 6th, 2011
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| | Overall Score: 7.5/10 |
 
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| Discography |
Discography covers all information available up to day of review and is updated if future albums are reviewed. |
| Full-Length(s): |
Third Brigade (2010) • Some of Us Even Have Pets (2011)
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| Review |
Third Brigade is an Alternative Rock, Hard Rock act that hails from Norway. Like many acts of this style lately, this group has gone the way of issuing their material themselves, though Fat People Are Harder to Kidnap Records is credited on the back, as well as the band, and distributed through Indie Distribution. For 2011, the band issues their follow-up full-length release, Some of Us Even Have Pets which, according to the accompanying press release. is "a silent protest, or praise (see it the way you like), towards stereotypes in the music business." Having a strong amount of influence from U.S. Alternative Rock acts, Third Brigade present an album that is not your typical Rock offering, as well as a cover sure to piss off P.E.T.A. (side note for animal lovers: It's a stuffed Pine Marten, and the prey it's atop of more then likely is too.) But, how unique is it given the band's country of origin?
Some of Us Even Have Pets has a strong audio quality to it. The audio feels more liquid then anything, which I could easily compare to the quality similar to some releases by Chevelle and probably others, but the music itself sounds pretty heavy and is really catchy having more substance then most of today's popular acts. The guitars do carry that heavier sound well a lighter amount of distortion used at times, with a rather loud bass presence that does make an impact on the music well, especially during some of the Tool-esque guitar moments of the recording that shine through more as bridges, such as with the track "The Cocktail." The drums sound great as well with a good thud to the bass kicks that suits the additional bass presence well, nice full echoing snares and louder cymbol crashes, none of which really drown out the other instruments, though given the stylish sound of the audio that much was expected. The vocals are the cleaner singing style that you expect, a bit of a higher pitch to them but not so much nasal or whiny, and they suit the music well.
Unlike many albums, this one starts off with "Welcome" as the introduction track, which is simply a crowd cheering as a band is about to take stage. It works for this style, but it doesn't necessarily establish an atmosphere. Although with an album like this, that's not necessarily required, especially since "The Other" really establishes what to expect from the band. This lyrically simpler track with infectious, heavy music really works well to immediately the listener's attention and pave the way for your head to start bobbing along with the rhythm. The song varies between the heavy sound throughout much of the album, but does goes into a lighter, catchier chorus that is more melodic in comparison. This does happen throughout the album, but it's not really a formula the band follows. "Elines Song" is a good example of this, as it retains that same heavier sound from the verses, but for the chorus it has a more important lead guitar riff that seems more Progressive Rock in essence with how it's performed and what it does to change the atmosphere so drastically. This track does seem to go all over the place a little more then other tracks here, and it really gives the band more of a unique sound.
Much of the remainder to Some of Us Even Have Pets isn't necessarily generic, but it's nothing too different from what you might find on the local radio stations for Rock and Alternative Rock, but the music itself is often just more enjoyable and doesn't sound like the same tired sell-out by-numbers formula often dished out there. "Eclectic You" is one of the slower songs that seem to bombard you once past the highly enjoy "21/22" and it's more emotionally driven lyrics and sound, but this track's bass presence is what really helps to establish a strong Alternative Rock, Hard Rock foundation for the song to make it a little more unique then most of what's out there, making for an enjoyable track with some nice atmosphere. "Secrets" stands out a bit more with it's somewhat Punk Rock attitude and sound, which works well for the band, though it does end up slightly conflicting with the rest of the album's atmosphere given it's somewhat more upbeat sound that the rest of the album doesn't have.
After "21/22," it's not that the album is bad, but not all the songs after that are really that impressive. "Sideways" is a enjoyable track for what it is, again capturing that slower pace with a little bit of a depressing sound and a more mainstream breakdown at the very end that doesn't have as much impact as you would hope. It does fit the song, and just carries the same harder edge to it that the rest of the track had. It's not really a filler song, but it doesn't stand out that much. "The Cocktail," is another good song, but it's nothing too special, though still a bit more memorable then others due to the more depressing atmosphere of the song. "This Accident" greatly dwarfs the song thanks to how out of the ordinary it is with the additional instruments brought in, it's gloomy atmosphere that treads into a somber Folk song, and how much an impact the depressing music and atmosphere makes on the listener, truly sounding like a track of mourning that best suits it's title. Despite the song's less then two and a half minute length and coming off more like an interlude then anything, it really stands out nicely and breaks things up a bit, especially after the long winded "Down with a Smile."
Sadly that longer track isn't the most entertaining track on here, and really is the only song here that seems to truly fault the album. The simpler music that is brought in against the much slower pace and distorted vocal performance feels a little too lackluster and Tool-esque, leaving behind some of the band's somewhat unique sound that was established on many tracks here. Granted the latter half of the song is enjoyable, it's mostly just thanks to the first part with the slow, really drug along building. The final track "Eclectic You (Nachspiel Version)" is more just a shorter, slower, somber rendition of the song, and much like "This Accident," it works well to establish a depressive atmosphere. In the end, it makes for a good closing track to the album, though it feels more like a bonus track then anything due to the fact that the song appears earlier on in the album, and it's an alternate version. You could look at it as more of a reprisal then a bonus track, but when you're sitting down with the whole package, it really just doesn't seem to fit that way regardless of how well suiting to a closing of an album it really is.
Overall, Third Brigade may be nothing more then Alternative Rock inspired tunes with a bit of a Alternative Rock, Hard Rock edge, but overall it's still a good offering for the band for what it is. Many of the songs here are slower and often fit a more depressing atmosphere then the rest, and those that don't fall into that do have a bit of a formulaic equation to harder verses melodic chorus, but that's not the way with each track which offers up a decent amount of variety. The start of Some of Us Even Have Pets is definitely stronger then some of the later material, but that isn't to say that the last half is all filler as even the less impactful songs are still somewhat enjoyable, and there are some cuts in it that really stand out. Third Brigade would do well here in North America, and for fans of the style, this group's more unique sound and various solid tracks that, while it may not be the most amazing offering in the style, checking out this band is simply a no brainer for fans of this style.
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