In 2002, shortly after forming Brakes as a solo project, singer-songwriter Eamon Hamilton was recruited by another Brighton, UK, band, British Sea Power. Although his duties were predominantly as keyboardist, he was best known for contributing to the group's notoriously hyperactive live shows, during which he often ran wild-eyed into the audience, manically banging a gigantic drum and scaling the stage rafters alongside BSP guitarist Martin Noble.
Given his engaging stage presence and appetite for writing swift, sharp songs that reel and rage like sonic blisters, it's not surprising that Hamilton was soon approached by three other staples of the Brighton rock scene: brothers Alex and Tom White of the Electric Soft Parade, and bass player Marc Beatty of the Tenderfoot. This gave a new lease on life to Brakes, as the band expanded the scope of Hamilton's unfussy songwriting while giving it more substance. In 2006, Hamilton amicably left British Sea Power to concentrate on Brakes. Following the release of their 2005 Rough Trade debut, Give Blood, which featured the heated admonishment "Cheney"-- arguably one of the best nine-second songs ever recorded-- the band went on to release Beatific Visions before signing to FatCat for their third full-length, Touchdown.
Like many great punk bands, Brakes have found their formula with a-less-is-more approach. Although their range might seem straightforward at first, it's their decision to intersperse the boisterous blast of songs such as "Porcupine or Pineapple" or "Red Rag" with the reflective indie pop of "Isabel" and "Crush On You" that really makes this band compelling and instantly likeable. On Touchdown, they flip easily between the tough racket of "Hey Hey", the sparkly indie of "Worry About It Later", and the soft country lilt of "Leaving England". There is definitely a shift of focus on this album. While Hamilton's lyrical wit, which veers from cleverly biting to absurdly goofy, continues to take center stage, the songs sound more pulled together than ever and injected with an unabashed optimism that suits the music well: "I was punching the air on this lonely drive/ Singing goddamn I'm happy just to be alive!" he sings over a chug of distortion on "Don't Take Me to Space (Man)".
This type of unpretentious, smart, straight-no-chaser rock has been somewhat lacking in British indie music for the last few years, so it's good to hear Brakes pushing all the right buttons. Although only one song passes the five-minute mark, Touchdown overflows with ideas imaginatively sifted from a range of genres, and feels honest, infectious, and personable from beginning to end.
