Brooklyn boy Kevin Devine has seen it all, both inside and outside the music business.

The many facets of the artist’s life have culminated into his latest album, ‘Brother’s Blood,’ which was released by Favorite Gentleman Records on April 28.

Complete with woe-begotten tunes of loss and upbeat pop ballads, the album is Devine’s most diversified and mature project to date.

Devine originally broke into the music scene as the frontman of the independent emo band, Miracle of 86. He had previously played in several other projects, but none had succeeded in getting the songwriter noticed.

His first solo record, ‘Circle Gets the Square,’ was released in 2002, but remained under the radar.

Since the malcontented vocals and angst-ridden lyrics of his earlier work, Devine has found a more direct approach to musical expression with subsequent albums, writing tighter arrangements and sharper lyrics.

Devine has never been your average songwriter. The loyal New Yorker sites everyone from Bob Dylan to Axl Rose as his source of inspiration.

Sonically, fans of Elliott Smith and Bright Eyes will be dazzled by the musician’s ability to produce tuneful poetics with a distinct strumming style that is all his own. His songs fit snugly in the suffering singer-songwriter classification, though they often manage to evade the clich’eacute; due to Devine’s earnestness.

The musician’s writing has always drifted between his political beliefs and poetical mindset, a combination that makes ‘Brother’s Blood’ a statement for the generation.

Many of the new songs were previously released either as EPs or leaked demos. To the artist’s disappointment, the album was leaked in its entirety several months before its street date. Devine chose to look at the situation quite optimistically, however.

In a response on his MySpace page, the singer commented, ‘I understand it, and I’m a touch flattered, a touch bewildered and a touch annoyed’hellip;In a sense, I’m flattered anyone WANTS to hear my record two months before it’s finished, and add it to the list of things I never thought I’d be able to tell the proverbial grandkids.’

Supporting Devine’s creative output on the album is his motley band of musicians. The ‘band’ has been a revolving door throughout Devine’s recording career, with longtime members including Brian Bonz, Carey Brandenburg and Russell Smith.

On the opening track, ‘All of Everything Erased,’ Devine displays the impact of folk hero Elliott Smith on his songwriting style. The song shares the intricate acoustic accompaniment and lyrical poetics that Smith is renowned for.

One of Devine’s most endearing traits as a musician is his ability to weave complex, lyrical tales. ‘Carnival’ is the haunting account of man’s struggle to retain the will to live in the face of adversity. Tension and dynamics swell into a shouting match between Devine and his guitar as the song comes to a jarring conclusion.

The brilliantly orchestrated ‘Hand of God (When You Breathe, Breathe’hellip;)’ shows off Devine’s folk know-how. Sighing vocals and razor-sharp wit are posed as an upbeat question to religion.

Showing off his smoother side, ‘Fever Moon’ is equal parts acoustic guitar and sex appeal. Devine croons lines like, ‘Your lava lips pour forth and branding iron eyes/Fix them unto me and bring me back to life,’ over the stark instrumentation.

Poppy tunes like ‘I Could Be With Anyone’ harkens back to ‘Put Your Ghost to Rest’-era songs. While the naggingly upbeat instrumentation does not find Devine in his prime, analytical lyrics of personal exploration make it a worthy addition to the collection.

Whining guitar riffs and passionate proclamations of humanity’s end make ‘Time to Burn (Another Bag of Bones)’ an anthem for the modern day.

Devine has quite the famous friend in Brand New frontman Jesse Lacey, who provides backing vocals for the song, ‘Tomorrow is Just Too Late.’ The songwriter’s influence is often evident in Devine’s music, particularly in the torment of the album’s title track.

The song is a blatant homage to Devine’s deceased brother, who has served as a sort of muse for the songwriter. Raw emotion makes ‘Brother’s Blood’ one of his most revealing tunes to date. The shattering conclusion is the sonic equivalent of years of repressed grief.

There are few weak points on the album, relatable in its realness and imperfection.

Every track on the album could have come from a different songwriter. The microcosm of musical styles is only united by Devine’s signature scowling rhymes and bright guitar.

Devine does not try to please everyone. He makes records that express his worldview without making excuses. In the case of ‘Brother’s Blood,’ it is time the rest of the world took notice.

Kevin Devine’s album ‘Brother’s Blood’ was released by Favorite Gentleman Records on April 28.

Angela Stasiowski can be reached at [email protected]
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