Brother Sun Sister Moon – (Self-Titled)
Self-Produced
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brother-Sun-Sister-Moon/1421217921461862
CD: 13 Songs; 59:30 Minutes
Styles: Contemporary Electric Blues and Blues Rock, Americana
When one performs a Google search for “Brother Sun Sister Moon,” the first result that appears is info concerning a 1972 movie about St. Francis of Assisi. To find information about the duo from St. Paul, Minnesota, one must type “Brother Sun Sister Moon blues band”. According to their Facebook page, “The music of Brother Sun Sister Moon is laden with vocal harmonies, dynamic grooves of depth and exquisite musical sensitivity.” They backed up this claim when they won last year’s Road to Memphis Blues Challenge. Dave Lambert plays resonators, guitars and vocals along with his partner Donna Dahl on drums and vocals. Brother Sun Sister Moon is their third album, following Broken Wings and Dave Lambert: Live at Piggy Blues.
Lambert and Dahl possess the pumped-up energy, instrumental skills, and songwriting savvy to become far more well-known in the genre. However, in order to garner more attention, one of their first steps should be to sign with an official record label. The adjective “self-produced”, which describes Brother Sun Sister Moon, is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they’re free to do whatever they want in an artistic sense, plus they don’t have to give portions of their proceeds to agents and producers. On the other hand, radio stations and other outlets might not play their songs, being wary of previously-unknown musicians. Moreover, the raw, unpolished feel of the thirteen original selections on this CD might be great for some blues fans, but not for all. Another step that Dahl and Lambert would be well-advised to take is to have a press release flyer for reviewers and venues that might hire them.
With that said, here are the three songs that will best “hook” hungry audiences:
Track 04: “Hambone” – This five-minute guitar extravaganza features a smoking intro and a gritty vibe that would be perfect for bar scenes in movies. It also contains the world’s easiest chorus with which to sing along: “Doo-doo-doo, doot-doo. Doo-doot-doo, doo. Doo-doot-doo, doo-doo-doo.” The rest of the lyrics are rather unintelligible, but Dahl’s vocals have a nice edge.
Track 06: “Blues You Can’t Cure” – Bang your head and stomp your feet to track six, an electrifying blues-rock anthem for the ages. “Taking chances against the odds, crying out to the gods. One thing’s for certain. One thing’s for sure: I got the blues you can’t cure.” Songs like this one mince no words, and that’s why it’s sure to be a crowd favorite at live concerts.
Track 09: “Romance at Dawn” – This Chicago-style number features another timeless theme and a startling opening couplet: “Sleep with me, baby, for a thousand years. Let me give you loving that will dry those tears.” Who can resist such a proposition, or the fiery guitar solo in the middle?
For only two people, Brother Sun Sister Moon pack a punch in the blues/blues rock scene!
