Date Released: 4th December 2020. Label: Creston Spiers / WeEmptyRooms. Format: DD/Vinyl
Brown Giant - Tracklisting
These Eyes Are Crying
Snake On Grass
Cut Back Off The Lights
I’ll Do Anything You Want Me To
If I Can Dream
We Win
There’s A Hole In The Bucket List And I’m On Fire
Of The Bees
Life Is Mine
Springtime Bye
Review
Brown Dwarf is the 2nd full length solo album from Creston Spiers better known for his work with legendary Sludge Rockers - Harvey Milk. Harvey Milk were known for their loud, abrasive, experimental and downright catchy style of music that fused different sounds such as Grunge, Sludge, Noise Rock, Doom and Stoner Metal This saw the band release a wide range of different and acclaimed albums throughout their recording career.
Brown Dwarf sees Creston Spiers play to his musical and creative strengths whilst still offering a similar outlook heard within Harvey Milk but this allows Creston to try his hand at different things such as Americana and Southern Rock with even a pop sensibility being heard on the album. Though, Brown Dwarf does have its fair share of heavier moments and becomes an even better record because of this.
The album is quite lo-fi with Creston recording and playing everything by himself though the album is mastered by his old friend and Harvey Milk member Kyle Spence. The production of the record does have a true “Punk Rock” spirit and attitude which it oozes from the start. The songs are a wild bunch of different songs with the majority of them sounding very different each other. Parts Americana, Country Rock, Psych Rock and Sludge Rock being the main sounds contained on the record.
Brown Dwarf is a mixture of downbeat and upbeat messages but it’s all undeniably fun with the opening songs of These Eyes Are Crying, Snake On Grass and Cut Back Off THe Lights setting the scene for a highly unusual record with Creston in commanding form with the superb vocals he lays down on the record. The instrumental work is fantastic and instantly draws you in with Creston having a warm and dominant presence with whatever style of music he puts his mind to.
Later songs such as: If I Can Dream, We Win, Of The Bees and Springtime Bye is where I enjoyed the album most. As the music is quite heartfelt, delightfully heavy with the dark Americana and Pop inspired sounds having quite a potent effect against Creston’s sublime vocals.
If you’ve heard Creston’s acclaimed debut solo album MMXVII then you will hear a different kind of album from Creston and it’s good to see he’s prepared to release something different and not rest on his laurels.
Brown Dwarf is one of the best solo records I’ve heard this year if not the best. As it’s a thrilling and highly original piece of work that can be quite demanding to listen to but one that will leave a huge smile on your face.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Jem at We Empty Rooms for the promo. Brown Dwarf will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Creston Spiers and WeEmptyRooms for the Rest Of The World form December 4th 2020.
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