Reviewed by Andrew Townend

For years Brother John have been gigging for a small but vociferous band of supporters in the west country and, earlier this year, finally delivered their debut album through the pioneering work of Risen Records. I'm told that the initial pressing of 'Waiting On The Walls' has already sold out and with the future of the band unclear you'll need to do some hard searching to find a copy or settle for a download. Melodic heavy folk rock is quite an exclusive genre, but the music of Brother John's debut LP fits neatly in this category. It features diverse instrumentation, even occasional ukulele, though the element which gives the band their creative focus is the brilliant electric violin work of Mark Woods. The songs, written by frontman Tom Maynard, are about faith and are written with the intent of making a difference. Peaks of the album include the title track, a nice, mellow number in which Woods' violin creates an especially beautiful ambience; "More Than Meets The Eye" and "Zenith" - a heavier tune with chunky guitar hooks reminiscent of Creed. We can but hope the days of Brother John aren't at an end, but at least they managed to record this exhilarating set.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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