By Kavit Sumud | December 16th, 2012
I recently wrote about my great, well, distaste (that’s putting it urbanely) for romantic love songs. A major reason for that is most American love songs totally displace the self to the point where they come off co-dependent and stalkerish. Like a creepy, crying, puppy dog eyed guy with a bottle of booze staring at you from outside while pawing at your window as you open your Christmas gifts stalkerish. But, since I never discussed it, what’s then the antidote to this great swath of the American Songbook?
Look no further for a remedy than this track by new band Brøthers, “We Are Pushing On.” Brøthers’ first single thumps with a swagger and strut infused with self-empowerment. It’s a power anthem for those unwilling to accept their lives staying empty rooms in stasis or “metaphor[s] for a vacancy that you’re accepting.”
Very few anthem tracks in a year though can deftly capture the tension between courage and a healthy sense of fear by recognizing they aren’t a competing duality inside you, but rather two sides of the same energy to draw from as you barrel on or ‘keep pushing on’ ahead. I’m always looking for tracks in that vein, and while many of them quickly veer into saccharine territory, this track’s lyrics hit you so subtly over its electronic dance beats as to never become cloying.
Living your goals is frightening, but it’s always easier when you have music like this to soundtrack the trek. Brøthers sonically recall my favorite parts of Tanlines and the witticism of Passion Pit. If you are a fan of either these bands, definitely give Brøthers a try. Check them out and like them on SoundCloud and Facebook and look for an album coming out in 2013.