Super 8-Bit Brothers - Brawl [2010] [V2] [Album]

Chicago's electronic pop group Super 8-Bit Brothers is the side project of Tub Ring's Rob Kleiner and Kevin Gibson. Along with playing video game conventions across the country, Super 8-Bit Brothers have found themselves on stage with bands such as Mindless Self Indulgence, Electric Six and Foxy Shazam. Their new album (and The End Records debut) Brawl is their first since 2005's acclaimed Melee (both albums are named after the widely popular Super Smash Brothers games).

Although Brawl sounds more mature than their previous album Melee,their lyrical content and humor remain the same. The pounding beats and off-key horns in "Blinky Loves Pepper" make for a great dance tune. The highlight of the song is the sudden acoustic transition at the end. "Roll It Up" bounces around with its doo-wop influenced chorus. "8-Bit Lullaby" is a beautiful piano-driven song about a young gamer who doesn't want to sleep. "Next Generation" features tight programming along with smooth vocals from Gibson.

While most of the album rolls through easily,there are a few tracks that fall short. "Skillz" sounds too much like a Mindless Self Indulgence B-side. "Cheap-O" features the most bland vocals that Gibson has ever done in either Super 8-Bit Brothers or Tub Ring. Lines like "I spam projectiles as I watch your erectile dysfunction" also make the song unlistenable. The childish nature of "Don't Sell the Barrels to the Monkey" instantly makes it a throwaway track.

Overall,Brawl will please Super 8-Bit Brothers fans and gain new fans with its infectious electronic hooks and video-game references. Super 8-Bit Brothers are making something odd yet fun at the same time. Let's just hope that we won't have to wait for the next Super Smash Brothers game in order to hear some music from these gents.

Torrent:
Super 8-Bit Brothers - Brawl [2010] [V2] [Album]

Tracklist:
01. Cyber Space Sirens / Computer Casanovas
02. The Shadow Me
03. Blinky Loves Pepper
04. Skillz
05. 2600 Refugee
06. Roll It Up
07. Armies Unlimited
08. 8 Bit Lullaby
09. Goodbye Cruel World (of Warcraft)
10. All Directions
11. Cheap-O
12. Don’t Sell the Barrels to the Monkey
13. Brawl
14. Geeks No More
15. Next Generation

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago in the 80's was a great time and place to be a kid. With plenty of bad weather and middle class parents, video games and music in the basement was where it was at. Merging the two past times into an artistic endeavor seemed like an obvious choice for Super 8 Bit Brothers' masterminds Rob Kleiner (Tub Ring, ex-Mindless Self Indulgence) and Kevin Gibson (Tub Ring, pet lover).

Super 8 Bit Brothers combines danceable indie pop with lyrics ripe with arcade lingo for people who'd rather stay inside or do a basement boogie.

Performing live since 2004 at video game conventions and rock clubs with such artists as Mindless Self Indulgence, Electric Six, Foxy Shazam, The Mini Bosses, Null Sleep, The Show is the Rainbow, Bit Shifter and Gil Mantera's Party Dream. Their stylish remixes have also charted on both the Billboard top 200 and CMJ top 200. In 2008 they performed live on Fox's "Fearless TV". 'Melee,' the bands 1st record, was released independantly in 2005 which started a buzz in both the music and video game community.

After some time working in their underground labs, S8BB decided it was time to present their new album 'Brawl' full of dance numbers and sing a long hits. Equally ready to fill the sonic space of rock clubs, arcades, and dance parties!