The culmination of a decades-in-the-making partnership, Atlanta-based father-daughter folk duo The Brookses will be releasing their debut LP Lucky Charm on April 26th.
The debut LP from Atlanta-based father-daughter folk duo The Brookses, Lucky Charm, is the culmination of a decades-in-the-making partnership, harnessing and presenting energy that could only be borne from family bonds. Between Jim’s experience in the Atlanta music scene–having performed with acts ranging from Kelly Hogan (Neko Case, Drive-by Truckers) to Michelle Malone–and Meg’s narrative-driven songcraft and soulful voice, this album’s blend of timeless folk themes and rich, lively production lends itself to a masterful recording born from the hearts and minds of two seasoned music professionals.
Glide is thrilled to premiere the old-timey lead track “Over Again,” (below) a rich bygone take on the stunning sound of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, that lifts with silvery harmonies and a rustic cinematic scope.
“We are strongly influenced by traditional country duos like George and Tammy, Porter and Dolly, and we love singing those harmonies. “Over Again” is a classic country heartache song in that vein, two people who shouldn’t be together but can’t seem to give each other up. And it was fun to write in 3/4 time, with that great country waltz feel that no one seems to use anymore,” says Jim.
Title track “Lucky Charm” is the lynchpin of the record, representing the lifelong musical bond between Jim & Meg. First penned and ultimately shelved by Jim some 30 years ago (Meg jokes “I’m the same age as that song!”), he refused to include it on the Brookses LP unless Meg sang lead. She obliged, and the soulful guitar-driven ballad was finally able to see the light of day, feeling as fresh and modern as anything else on the album.
Recorded at Standard Electric Recording Company in Decatur, Ga. with producer Damon Moon (Blair Crimmins, Big Brutus, Sydney Eloise & the Palms), the album was tracked live in one room, capturing an old-school vibe while maintaining an undeniably modern sound. An air-tight rhythm section, ethereal keyboard work, and Jim’s well-worn archtop guitar are the core of the record’s sound, laying a foundation for expertly layered vocal harmonies.
These harmonies are a vital element to The Brookses’ sound. “I remember when Meg’s voice changed,” recalls Jim, “I noticed something different when we sang together. The way our voices harmonized–like the Everly Brothers, the Louvin Brothers, the Carter Family–there was something about our voices working together that was completely different from harmonizing with anyone else.” This phenomenon, known in some circles as “blood harmony,” is impossible to replicate; it’s quite literally in the Brookses D.N.A. and is a cornerstone of Lucky Charm.
In time, Meg had learned how to play the guitar and try her own hand at songwriting. “The Bridge” was Meg’s first foray into writing on her own, and this folk-tinged tune would become the first song recorded under the Brookses moniker. “Because she’s my daughter, I wanted it to be good,” says Jim. “But as a musician, I still had that built-in ‘shit detector.’ You have to be honest with musicians. And I was, honestly, really impressed.” It was this song, and Meg beginning to write on her own, that pushed Jim to follow through with the project that would ultimately become The Brookses. Other standout tracks from Meg include “Black Magic,” a voodoo-tinged blues that stirs up sin and salvation in the same pot, and “Little Miss Raincloud,” a lilting tune in waltz time that kicks off the album, based on a tongue-in-cheek nickname Meg gave herself.
The album takes on a decidedly classic country feel at times, with tracks like “If Tears Were Whiskey” and “Over Again,” both written by Jim, echoing works of Nashville’s bygone Countrypolitan era. “Those could’ve been sung by George Jones and Tammy Wynette,” Jim notes. “They’d be right at home on the radio in the 1950s–but at the same time, they’re contemporary songs.” This is a recurring theme throughout Lucky Charm; tried-and-true songwriting interwoven with modern production flourishes give these songs a warm, lived-in feel that’s as accessible in the present as it would have been in the golden age of radio.
“We are strongly influenced by traditional country duos like George and Tammy, Porter and Dolly, and we love singing those harmonies. “Over Again” is a classic country heartache song in that vein, two people who shouldn’t be together but can’t seem to give each other up. And it was fun to write in 3/4 time, with that great country waltz feel that no one seems to use anymore.”
