By Ian Bremner

Call it a matured fuzz, but what JEFF The Brotherhood loses in youthful recklessness, they make up for in production and precision. Their new album, ZONE, gets back to what JEFF does best; power chords, deranged riffs and fuzzzz.

ZONE would seem like the third installment of We Are The Champions and Heavy Days, but after JTB’s previous two releases, no one was quite sure what to expect. The Orrall brothers, Jake and Jamin, are relentless, which they prove with a continuous ourpour of new material. Despite a record label dispute and overall displeasure with Warner Brothers, they went ahead and released Wasted On The Dream on their own label, Infinity Cat, which saw the band turn 90’s power pop. Catchy choruses, and anthemic sing-a-longs seemed prime for radio. Then highly experimental, Global Chaka Rhythms followed a few months later that seemed more ready for a smoky yoga studio than a keg party. Despite the left and right turns, both releases were fantastic in their own right. Now, the brothers get back to their garage roots and back in the Zone.

The 11-track record is filled with one-word titled, rock jams. Punishment, Toasted, Idiot, Energy, a guest appearance by touring mate, Alicia Bognanno of Bully on Roachin’. It’s simplistic in all the right ways. JEFF The Brotherhood are still the same silly rockers they always have been, but there is a new sharpness to the sound. A sharpness that’s still fun as all hell.

Listen to Punishment via soundcloud

ZONE in full via spotify

 

From the Wasted On The Dream tour