Hop On Board Brother Bicker Band’s Another Kind of Train

Brother Bicker Band is back with its latest release, Another Kind of Train. This album is filled with statement pieces of all emotions, telling stories about the twists and turns that come with love, heartbreak, joy, pain, and all there is to living life to its fullest.

The opening track, “Nashville Sound” presents itself as a classic country track, a simple ode to a hometown. Each lyric focuses on different aspects of Nashville, Tennessee, highlighting features of beauty, such as the music in the air and the vibrant city lights. Alongside slow, ethereal chords and crisp vocals, “Nashville Sound” showcases the profound love the artist has for this town, yet with a melancholic twist, claiming that it’ll go away and that this heartwarming place will “soon forget my name”. It feels as if the admiration for the town is not one of joy, but of sorrow as it slips away, creating a unique feeling of somber peace that resonates with the listener.

Following this, the album takes a turn in style and emotion, bringing forth classic country twang in “I Just Might”. This piece explores the ups and downs of relationships, going through different scenarios like wanting to leave, fighting others for your lover, riding together, and even issues with communication, all with one common connection: The artist “just might” do anything for this girl. The instrumentals reflect authentic country, with steel guitars, tight drums, and light keys, creating a track that transports you to a slow country cruise. 

Some tracks take the darker path throughout the album, focusing on agony and heartbreak. The track “Stone” uses somber piano keys that lead to emotion-filled vocals and powerful instrumentals to share a message of struggling through life. Brother Bicker Band sings about a heartbroken man going through the trials and tribulations of living in misery, essentially begging for strength and mercy. Ending with impactful and ghostly vocalizations, the track hits the soul deeply, emphasizing the struggle being felt by the singer. This same feeling of sorrow is reflected on the album’s final track, titled “Bottles”. This piece, resembling a slow folk and country fusion, tells the struggles of a relationship going through heartbreak, using the metaphor of broken bottles to showcase the emotional wreckage the situation has become. Like a broken bottle, the pieces are too hard to pick up and impossible to put back together, causing an unfixable situation that brings forth desolation felt throughout the entirety of the track. 

There’s also a strong sense of passion and determination in love that is felt throughout Another Kind of Train. Brother Bicker Band pursues a newer sound through soft rock in their track “Storm Chaser”, in which they explain the beautiful complexity of love. The lyrics draw a comparison between a storm’s craziness and volatility to the ups and downs of relationships, yet the artist is infatuated by the challenge and, like a storm chaser, wants to be immersed in the wind and rain. The following track, “Nothing At All”, also showcases the strength of will found when one is in love. This classic americana rock piece opens up in humble honesty, with the artist saying, “I can’t give you what you need” and “I’m not good enough” but leading towards begging for the lover to stay. There’s a desperate determination to keep his lover, to the point of admitting fault but saying he can change and still be there for her because he needs her, emphasizing the power that comes from deeply loving and caring for someone.

Brother Bicker Band also pushes the boundaries of their style in the album, utilizing different genres to create standout tracks that catch the listener’s attention. The third track, “No Straight Lines”, flips the album’s style upside down and brings in a completely new concept: classic, groovy funk. The song talks on how hard it is to find true love, with multiple difficulties that make the path challenging and crazy but shows the determination of looking for “the truth”, true love. This message is accompanied with a catchy bassline, gospel-esque vocals, rhythmic drums, and even a synth solo that make you feel every note and entice you to move your body and groove. A contrary style that also pushes the bounds of the album is the tenth track, titled “Take My Gun”. This piece is a slower blues track filled with suspenseful chords and distorted guitar that creates a haunting feeling. Brother Bicker Band uses this track to describe a deep desire of wanting a fresh start and leaving the past behind in pursuit of true love, creating a character that’s giving up her badge and gun and moving on with her life. The track implements lots of audio effects that add to the eerie vibe, along with a tense organ and guitar solo that enchants the audience, catching any listener’s attention and placing them in a trance instantly.

As a train ride can take you to the highest mountains, the lowest valleys, the most vibrant locations, and the darkest of tunnels, Brother Bicker Band’s Another Kind of Train  touches just about every aspect of life and its complexities throughout uniquely crafted tracks. Each piece brings forth its own emotion, its own style, and its own impact on the listener, creating a potent message that captures the heart of the listeners.

Reviewed by Sam Mujica