Broken Beak – ‘Some Nerve’ Review
Posted: by Hannah
You’re walking down an unfamiliar street in a familiar city when you hear the muted sound of music being created, too honest and free to be anything but a jam session with friends. The origin of the sound is leaking out through a door left ajar and find yourself just walking into a house as if you were invited. Inside you’re greeted by a feeling that is both safe and vulnerable; Some Nerve by Broken Beak is more than an album. It’s a space we’re welcome to escape into and explore the darker sides of ourselves and life with optimism and without judgement.
“Matches” whimsically opens the record with instrumentals that transcend themselves to embody emotions that seem to be working themselves only to come to the conclusion “the pain’s not mine”. Many of the songs are juxtaposed between the depth of the lyrics and the lighthearted sound; vocalist Beau Brynes paints with pain and confusion on a backdrop of sound that remains hopeful and steadfast to create a picture that for so many will look exactly like life.
To try to label the record with a genre would discredit how diverse it is, however the collection keeps a homey atmosphere thanks to production by Jacob Ewald of Modern Baseball. While the songwriting remains unfiltered, at times it finds itself shy and hides between impressive fills courtesy of drummer Jeff Malt and a rhythm so addictive created by bassist Evan Moorehead (also of Weller) and guitarist Brendan Lukens (Modern Baseball) that you barely notice the retreat. Other standout tracks are dimension-creating “Metal” and tantrum “Humble”.
Some Nerve is a demanding listening experience, one that slowly captures your attention until you end up at what is clearly the final destination “Venom Room”. Broken Beak started as a solo project but now reach their full potential growing into the motto of their Philadelphia hometown, “let brotherly love endure.”
9/10
Purchase the album digitally or on vinyl on the Near Mint Records store.
