Brakes - The Beatific Visions - Rough Trade

Published: 2:39 PM November 9, 2006

Updated: 8:53 PM February 22, 2021

This second album from Brakes – four guys from indie-rock minnows Electric Soft Parade, British Sea Power and Tenderfoot – could see them ratchet up their popularity. They pack a lot into 30 minutes, with ragtime piano workouts from a onetime member of El

This second album from Brakes - four guys from indie-rock minnows Electric Soft Parade, British Sea Power and Tenderfoot - could see them ratchet up their popularity.

They pack a lot into 30 minutes, with ragtime piano workouts from a onetime member of Elvis' band on the brilliantly old-time If I Should Die Tonight rubbing shoulders with Lemonheads-like country strums (Mobile Communication), madcap punk stomps (Porcupine Or Pineapple?) and heavy rock headbangers (Cease And Desist).

The fun these guys must have had putting this genre jumble sale together oozes from the speakers and into your ears like a toffee ice cream on a summer day.

Silly in the best sense.

4/5