Blood Ties

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 15, 2007 3:15PM

The brothers (literally, brothers, as in the brother O'Malley; Frankie, Michael O'Malley, and Patrick) in The Safes have somehow, inexplicably, flown been under our radar until now. Goddamn if we aren't so frickin' happy we've been introduced to them though.

It's no secret that we're fans of music rooted in the Mod-pop of the latter '60s ground through the massive amps of the '70s, especially if it's blessed with a timeless urgency. The manic Townsend/Moon Who-stylee pop-rock on the band's latest, Well, Well, Well, keeps us scratching our heads and wondering what segment of the collective consciousness these three guys are tapping into.

Because we want access to that little perfect corner of the universe too.

Tight vocals harmonies dip and swerve over the din the O'Malley brothers create with the simplest tools: guitar, bass, and drums. But the trio proves that even the most familiar ingredients can create a recipe that's deeply satisfying and subtly surprising. They're amazingly adept at synthesizing their influences and turning them into something rewarding and new. And these guys know when to switch up the pace before their customary headlong rush gets tiring. On their latest, the churning and hypnotic "Bottoms Up" provides a slight breather before rushing into the under two-minute barnstorming "Decepticon."

Hey Redwalls, are you paying attention? THIS is how it's done.

The Safes play The Empty Bottle tonight with Chooglin' and A Bullet Called Life.

Photo by Andrew Ballantyne