Pitchfork: Brother Danielson Goes Solo in June

Brother Danielson Goes Solo in June
Devours communion wafer, sends missionaries to San Dimas SportMart

It's been quite a while since we've seen a proper release from the Danielson camp. Mind you, the good Brother (codename: Daniel Smith) has had his fair share of projects in the pipeline; he's been working a full-time job as a carpenter, lending his hand as a producer (most notably on the latest records by June Panic and Sufjan Stevens), managing his record label Sounds Familyre, and New York movie studio Creative Arson has been working on a Danielson documentary. The good Brother also released a thematic seven-inch this Christmas past. But of course, prior to all this, the last full-length output we saw under the Danielson name was the manic toy parade of Fetch the Compass Kids, released back in 2001. The long-awaited follow-up, to be released under Smith's Br. Danielson moniker, has now been completed, and is set for release June 8th on Secretly Canadian.

Though helmed by and accredited to Brother Danielson as an individual, the new album, entitled Brother Is to Son, is reported to contain appearances by the entire Famile, as well as Daniel's father Lenny Smith, and Sounds Familyre labelmate/folk-pop battlebaron Sufjan Stevens. The press release alludes to a more fleshed-out, fuller sound but also a more delicate tone, a notion supported by both Smith's recent production work and his reflective single, "The Kid". A "pervasive tenderness" is said to be present throughout Brother Is to Son, most notably in Smith's "ever-broadening vocal range." Track number eight, entitled "Hammers Sitting Still", features shared vocal duties (a possible duet) courtesy of wife Elin Smith. It seems like the good Brother might have traded his carefree whimsy for untold introspection. This writer is ecstatic. Tracklist:

01 Things Against Stuff
02 Cookin' Mid-County
03 Animal In Every Corner
04 Daughters Will Tune You
05 Our Givest
06 Sweet Sweeps
07 Perennial Wine
08 Hammers Sitting Still
09 Physician Heal Yourself
10 Brother : Son

In other Danielson happenings, the Brother's art and "Great Comfort Stuff"-- i.e. homemade items ranging from greeting cards to perfume and everything in-between-- is up for sale and exhibit at the Peter J. Dellamonica Jr. Center for Seniors in Queens, NY. Smith will be on and off location, creating personalized items and performing original Comfort Stuff jingles. The exhibit runs until April 26th, and directions can be found on the official Danielson website. Oh yeah, and there's one other date the Brother has on his schedule. It reads as follows:

04-10 Philadelphia, PA - The Khyber (w/Espers)