The War of the Bruces
The War of the Bruces is the second album, released in 2002, by The Bruces.
| The War of the Bruces | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2002 | |||
| Recorded | December 2001 - January 2002 | |||
| Genre | Alternative country,[1] Baroque rock,[2] Indie rock[1] | |||
| Label | Misra | |||
| The Bruces chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
After nearly eight years had passed from the prior album Hialeah Pink,[3] which Alex McManus spent working with several other indie acts,[4] he released The War of the Bruces. These songs are a culmination of the years he spent as a supporting musician.
Style
The album is primarily guitar driven, but there are instrumental appearances of the banjo, sparse horn sections, and minimal use of keyboards layering the compositions;[4] most are played by McManus, including the fiddle.[3] The lyrics have been described as abstract, and at times metaphorical,[5] and the music as fluid, atmospheric.[1]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [4] |
| FakeJazz | 8 / 12[5] |
| Lazy-i | Yes[6] |
| Pitchfork Media | 8.2[7] |
The War of the Bruces received somewhat positive reviews; Tim McMahon stated that "McManus' dust-covered melodies are a road best taken".[6] However, it took one critic several listens in order to enjoy it.[8] The album appeared on the CMJ music charts on December 2, 2002, at No. 174.[9] After staying on the charts for a total of 4 weeks, The War of the Bruces peaked at No. 151, and departed the charts on December 23, 2002.[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Do Si Do" | 4:14 |
| 2. | "The Cold War" | 4:14 |
| 3. | "Two Dogs" | 4:58 |
| 4. | "Haint Blue" | 4:35 |
| 5. | "Sunken City" | 4:22 |
| 6. | "Invisible Ceiling" | 8:03 |
| 7. | "Deep Colors Bleed" | 5:23 |
| 8. | "Hey, Bird" | 2:17 |
| 9. | "After Hours" | 5:18 |
| 10. | "Mountain" | 4:00 |
| 11. | "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground" | 3:18 |
References
- Klinge, p. 51.
- Les inrockuptibles, p. 15.
- Davis, p. 133.
- Nickey, Jason. "The War of the Bruces". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- Beckerman, Andrew (November 1, 2002). "The Bruces - War of the Bruces". FakeJazz. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- McMahan, Tim (September 22, 2002). "The War of the Bruces". Lazy-i. Tim McMahan. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- James, Brian (January 16, 2003). "The War of The Bruces". Pitchfork Media. Brian James. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- Ness, Matt (December 2, 2002). "The Bruces The War of the Bruces". Splendid Magazine. Splendid WebMedia. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- CMJ New Music Report (December 2), p. 13.
- CMJ New Music Report (December 23), p. 11.
Sources
- "Radio 200". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. 73 (791): 60. December 2, 2002. ISSN 0890-0795.
- "Radio 200". CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc. 74 (3): 60. December 23, 2002. ISSN 0890-0795.
- Davis, Timothy C. (2002). "The War of the Bruces". No Depression (38–42). ISSN 1088-4971. OCLC 34647652.
- Klinge, Steve (December 2002). "The War of the Bruces". CMJ New Music Monthly. CMJ Network, Inc (108): 64. ISSN 1074-6978.
- Les Inrockuptibles (in French). Editions Indépendantes (355–360). 2002. ISSN 0298-3788. OCLC 36948579.
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