Beautiful Day In the Cold Cruel World

Album Review

Although replete with the requisite fiddles and steel guitars, the music of the Warren Brothers has little to do with country and more to do with slick, roots-influenced pop artists like Bruce Hornsby, Toad the Wet Sprocket and Glenn Frey. This fact actually works to the Warren Brothers' benefit most of the time, as they avoid any trace of Nashville clichés in favor of honest, straightforward lyrics and energetic, polished playing. Brad Warren, in addition to singing spot-on vocal harmonies, plays all the guitars on Beautiful Day in the Cold Cruel World and would likely have no problem making a living as a studio picker. Brett Warren's lead vocals are at once edgy and warm, at times sounding like a mellower, less affected John Mellencamp or a less wimpy Jackson Browne. The Warren Brothers' years of playing nightly live gigs in their hometown of Tampa, Florida have paid off handsomely, as the whole album has a relaxed feel of professionalism that's highly usual for a debut record. Like Foster and Lloyd before them, the Warren Brothers combine an immaculately crafted Nashville songwriting style with distinctly non-traditional musical elements to create an interesting pop/country hybrid.