Album Review: The Broderick - 'Illusion Over Despair'

All that changed a week ago when

I saw The Broderick impress many a punter at Melbourne’s infamous

Arthouse… I finally got it. The band’s live performance was intense,

the riffs were choppy but somehow held my attention and the erratic

drumming managed to keep the whole thing together. Although Illusion

Over Despair doesn’t quite match The Broderick’s live energy it

is a fantastic debut, one that showcases a band with a limitless potential.  

The EP’s title track is the

perfect indication to what the Broderick’s sound is all about, the

melody laced guitar parts working in conjunction with a chaotic drum

assault, one that still manages to inject some groove and drive into

an already impressive song. 

“Courage As A Prison” shows

The Broderick at their most complex, the four minute tune twisting and

turning its way through a series of time signatures and constantly changing

guitar parts, while “Speaking With Spares” remind me of Poison the

Well’s most recent masterpiece. 

Apart from its awesome song name,

“Love… It’s A Motherfucker…” uses its mosh friendly beats

to devastating effect as The Broderick have managed to pen a tune which

is not only heavy but incredibly catchy at the same time. While the

comparisons to Misery Signals are going to be inevitable “Guilty Feet

Ain’t Got No Rhythm” is more than a cheap imitation as the song’s

creative guitar work and unique vocal patterns give it an edge that

a lot of other heavy bands would kill for. Bringing up the tail is “Letting

People Down”, the most balls to the wall and straightforward song

on this release, which is certainly not a bad thing. 

Keep an eye on this band over

the next twelve months as big things are on the horizon. 

1. Illusion Over Despair
2. Courage As A Prison
3. Speaking With Stares
4. Love… It’s A Motherfucker,

   eh?

5. Guilty Feet Ain’t

   Got No Rhythm

6. Letting People Down

   And Hold