After ...Burn, Piano Island, Burn came out, there was a lot of noise about The Blood Brothers. That album was pretty unlike anything I'd ever heard and a breath of fresh air as far as I was concerned; it was 2003 and everyone I knew was into Poison The Well (I was too) and that particular style of screamo/post-hardcore was the new cool. The Blood Brothers were heavy and loud, but with this camp edge that made them more enjoyable. The dual vocalists played off each other brilliantly in a way I wouldn't hear bettered until I finally heard Black Eyes.
(Going off on a brief tangent, I'd been introduced to Black Eyes by a friend at university - or rather told I should listen to them- something I wouldn't get round to for two years. Upon on arriving in Sydney (nearly exactly 10 years ago) I went on a slightly jet-lagged hunt for record shops. On the first day I found one of the branches or Redeye Records and bought one of the greatest finds of my life, You'd Prefer An Astronaut by Hum on vinyl for a mere £6.45, as well as a copy of The Wall on LaserDisc. A few doors up the road I found a small second-hand place where I got a copy of Black Eyes' incredible self-titled album (one of my all-time favourite Dischord releases). I listened to Black Eyes that afternoon at my friend's house and was instantly blown away. The next day I sought out the other, bigger branch of Redeye Records (which I'd learnt about from the bag my first purchase came in). In there I bought this record; it was a very good two days.)
The larger branch of Redeye Records had a huge supply of new records by loads of cool bands and I would have ordinarily bought huge amounts. I hope it is still there and that I get to return one day. However, back then term was just beginning back in Canberra and I only had so much student loan (and a lot of travelling to do). I only bought one record in the end - this one - I was excited to hear some new Blood Brothers. I'd also brought a record player with me to Australia so I could finally play the records I'd been buying over there. The fact that it was on pink vinyl probably helped too. Crimes was released on at least 13 different colours but pink definitely seems the most appropriate, especially given the colours on the sleeve. Discogs tells me that this is from the 2nd pressing and one of 510, one of the more numerous colours overall.
The album is somehow less abrasive than Piano Island, but still hits as hard. The highlight for me is the title track, which is one of the band's smoothest but also best songs - the I immediately think of the chorus when I think of this album. There are some other great songs too, like Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck (the closest they got to a hit single), Peacock Skeleton With Crooked Feathers, Live at the Apocalypse Cabaret and the closing duo of Celebrator and Devastator.
With Piano Island, Rumours Laid Waste and Crimes in my collection, I spent a while thinking I should get their whole back-catalogue on vinyl. March On Electric Children was readily available on picture-disc on eBay but I just never got round to buying it. A couple of years later I found a copy of their final album, Young Machettes, on cd very cheaply in a record shop in Boulder (on the first national Record Store Day). I bought it (along with a copy of Rise Above by The Dirty Projectors - the guy at the counter commented on it being a strange combination, but I see them being fairly similar in certain ways). I realised that I'd kind of forgotten about my plans to buy all The Blood Brothers albums. I can't remember why I'd let that band slip, but I had somehow.
Now, many years later, they're a band I listen to often but I still haven't bought the first two albums. I wonder how they'd sound now? Maybe I'll pick them and tell you. I hope I enjoy them as much as I do their last three.
Format: 12", cd-sized booklet, 12x24" poster
Tracks: 13
Cost: £10.75 new
Bought: Redeye Records, Sydney
When: 03/02/06
Colour: Pink
Etching: none
mp3s: no
