ALBUM
Brothers Osborne, "Pawn Shop" (EMI Nashville)
It may not sound like a revolution, but the Brothers Osborne's debut album seems ready to upend the reign of bro country. Forget the awkwardly added hip-hop beats and choruses that make beer commercials feel deep. The sound of T.J. Osborne's warm drawl and John Osborne's virtuoso guitar playing in "Stay a Little Longer" cut through all of that clutter like a hot knife through butter, even before John's masterful guitar solo kicks in, chiming like U2's the Edge circa "The Unforgettable Fire." But they don't stop there. T.J. channels early Randy Travis in the reverb-drenched ballad "Loving Me Back," which gets even more impressive when Lee Ann Womack delivers her harmonies. The soon-to-be anthem "American Crazy" — with its chorus of "We're left, we're right, we're black and we're white" — may be the most unifying song built for the country mainstream in years. Pair that with the hard-rocking, blame-passing "It Ain't My Fault" and soon the Brothers Osborne will have people wondering "Florida Georgia what?" again.
Glenn Gamboa, Newsday
