AP & the Silent Brigade - AP & the Silent Brigade

AP & the Silent Brigade

AP & the Silent Brigade
self-released; 2015

3.7 out of 5

By Jack Dickinson

Between 1904 and 1909, a gang of masked marauders known as the Silent Brigade reeked havoc across the state of Kentucky by instigating a series of violent uprisings that would be known to the history books as the Black Patch Tobacco Wars.

A century later, an indie punk band with a similar name is applying that same level of intensity to a musical landscape, albeit with a much more peaceful purpose in mind. This band is known simply as AP & the Silent Brigade. Under the direction of their bandleader and guitarist, A.P. Mesaris, the silent brigade is an indie punk super group of sorts originating from Atlanta, GA and consists of five additional members from a variety of groups such as Down for the Count, Nervous Jerks and the Carry-Ons.

Wanting to branch out into the rich landscape of America’s musical history, the group went into Ledbelly studios to lay down their chops and record some tracks. What they came out with was a self-titled debut EP that features a banjo player on the cover who bears a striking resemblance to American Blues legend, Charley Patton.

The record was released by the group independently on May 16th, 2015 and is quite an intriguing listen. “Ol’ Kentucky” sounds like what would happen if Johnny Cash had come of age in the grunge era and joined a group like the Offspring.
 
“Wherever You Are” is a love song featuring a great guitar solo and a bright mandolin from Silent Brigade member Chris May. There isn’t too much to say about “Dirty Dog” and “Belle Chasse” other than that their distorted sounds harken back to the great American classic rock of the 1970s.
 
This is quite a promising first effort from AP & the Silent Brigade. Depending on whether or not they can deliver this same kind of energy to their live shows, perhaps they can then record a full-length album. We can only hope.

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