Danzig's career-defining single "Mother" is a low-down, spooky dirge when sung by its originator, but the song becomes something entirely at the hands of New York City musical collective Brass Against. For their latest hard-rock/metal cover, the big-band ensemble took the bones of the original and, with the help of guest vocalist Liza Colby, delivered a searing rendition of the 1988 classic.
Giving her all without ever pushing outside of her range, Colby nails the foreboding vibe of the lyrics with her soulful wails. All the while, a cast of players in Brass Against's signature jumpsuits pull out a flawless arrangement (by Andrew Gutauskas and Brad Hammonds, as always) on a laundry list of brass instruments including the trumpet, trombone, baritone saxophone, and even a sousaphone.
In the past, Brass Against have covered songs by Deftones, Tool, Audioslave and others in the politically conscious act's mission to draw attention to pertinent social issues of the day by using rock & roll as a binding language among cultures and belief systems. The band have had quite the summer, playing festivals alongside fellow musicians who inspire their work, suchas Prophets of Rage, Royal Blood, Fever 333 and Lenny Kravitz. They're now back in NYC for a brief rest before playing handful of shows in the U.S. – find the full list here.
