The Brothers Gross - Sight and Sound

I've been meaning to get to this literally for months now, but life keeps interfering. This combination of CD and DVD (hence the title) is a fun project from Indiana glam/power pop/punk rockers the Brothers Gross. I've had a chance to play with them a couple of times while giggin' with the Gizmos and they are always a cool time with their stylish, melodic sounds.

While the DVD has fun, silly, homemade videos for all of the songs - from old home movies to low-budget, themed music videos - the CD is packaged in a simple, yellow envelope with no info on it. Opening with "Walk on By", we get their cool, punk'n'pop'n'roll sounds - catchy, energetic and well played. They get a bit punkier (70's-styled) in "My Way" and "Going Nowhere" (though, there is plenty of pop here, as well), with lifts from older songs, but re-worked so it;s hard to pin them down. Next up is "Yer Friends", which is more glam-oriented with lots of genetic harmonies (they really are brothers) and hep guitar lines, which continues with added dynamics in "Get High". While not the Heartbreakers tune, "Dead or Alive" definitely has a Thunders feel to it, though with some nice, original-sounding riffs and harmonies. "Falling Down" is a swingin' sing-along and is almost a 60's girl-group influenced number, with plenty of sprinkles of glitter added to it! They get a bit more frantic in "Not Anymore" and then give a nod to "Then He Kissed Me" in "I Don't Need Your Love" before closing out with more pop-punk in "This Time Around".

Really dug these cats a lot in a live setting and while recordings never quite capture that magic, this is cool stuff. Check 'em out, one way or another!