Brothers Beckham: "Sunrise Full of Cheer"
The story itself feels just as right for the “Summer of Love” as it does for the social media age… Somewhere in rural Arkansas, two brothers watched Jimi Hendrix rip through Live at Berkley on a grainy old VHS tape. Hanging on to every note, the boys regularly congregated around an old record player to absorb vinyl epics such as The Allman Brothers Band’s At Fillmore East and Cream’s Live Cream. Under the spell of these classics, they picked up instruments and conjured a spirit that never goes out of style—but might be more necessary now than ever. Meet Brothers Beckham. Mason [guitar] who just turned 18 and Mitch [bass], barely out of his teens at 21, channel soulful blues into era-defying rock ‘n’ roll underpinned by understated virtuosity, spot-on vocals, and elegant songcraft. With hundreds of gigs under their belts and signed to producer and co-manager Sam Taylor [ZZ Top, King’s X], the boys roar to life on their 2020 independent full-length debut, Brothers Beckham. “The only way to do it back in the late sixties and early seventies was with a lot of raw live power,” exclaims Mitch. “When you turn up high wattage tube amplifiers really loudly, the music has this life to it, and there is no substitute for that. We’re chasing that feeling, man.” “It’s fresh,” agrees Mason. “It’s alive.”
As kids in Arkansas, Mitch and Mason immersed themselves in music. Mom and dad originally hailed from Dallas. The boys’ paternal grandmother owned a popular spot on Harry Hines Boulevard. She passed on the vinyl from the jukebox to her grandkids. Without cable, they opted to listen to these records on repeat and watch concert videos over and over again. “We’d play Live at Berkeley on a loop every night when we went to sleep,” recalls Mitch. “We were dragging around guitars in our diapers.” Much like Jimi, the left-handed Mason even learned how to play guitar by flipping it upside down. Rock ‘n’ roll essentially consumed them as Mason admits, “Nobody our age was into the same things, so we were kind of outcasts. School was tough, but we became ourselves because of it.” Invited to play a monthly blues jam, they built a local buzz and logged countless gigs at bars and clubs, honing their chops on stage. Taylor eventually caught wind of Brothers Beckham and signed them. They relocated to Dallas, TX and cut their first album on two-inch tape at Palmyra Studios—which Mitch describes as “analog paradise.” Impressed by the band, legendary Eric Clapton drummer Jamie Oldaker performed on more than half of the tracks. “It was surreal for us to get to record with someone who we grew up listening to,” Mitch goes on. “We learned a lot from Jamie, to say the least.” The first single and opener “Sunrise Full of Cheer” struts between fluid blues guitar and a hulking beat, soaring harmonies and dripping with swagger and style. Buoyant verses give way to a bold and bright refrain before a slick and scorching solo sails off into the sunset. “It’s a feeling of celebration,” Mitch elaborates. “There’s a joyous forward motion to it.” Meanwhile, “Ready for the Ride” revs up with funky strumming as it captures, “the moment of becoming ready for whatever life throws at you,” according to Mason. Then, there’s “Set Me Free.” The high-energy rocker spirals out on slick shredding. “‘Set Me Free’ is about celebrating another beautiful human being,” Mitch admits. “It was something I was experiencing, so I put it into the song.” At the same time, they pay homage to key influences by including their own takes on “Well All Right” originally by Buddy Holly and “Can’t Find My Way Home” originally by Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton, rounding out a complete vision for the record. In the end, the story and music of Brothers Beckham lives on through any era as they continue recording and touring nonstop. “When you listen to the album, I hope you enjoy it and feel something,” Mitch leaves off. “It came from real experiences, so we’re giving you truth.” “And we’re giving you an incentive to come see us play,” laughs Mason.
Have a listen and follow Brothers Beckham on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/thebrothersbeckham/
