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Lucky Charm
The debut LP from Atlanta-based father-daughter folk duo The Brookses, Lucky Charm, is the culmination of a decades-in-the-making partnership, harnessing and presenting an energy that could only be borne from family bonds. Between Jim’s experience in the Atlanta music scene–having performed with acts ranging from Kelly Hogan (Neko Case, Drive-by Truckers) to Michelle Malone–and Meg’s narrative-driven songcraft and soulful voice, this album’s blend of timeless folk themes and rich, lively production lends itself to a masterful recording born from the hearts and minds of two seasoned music professionals.
Title track “Lucky Charm” is the lynchpin of the record, representing the lifelong musical bond between Jim & Meg. First penned and ultimately shelved by Jim some 30 years ago (Meg jokes “I’m the same age as that song!”), he refused to include it on the Brookses LP unless Meg sang lead. She obliged, and the soulful guitar-driven ballad was finally able to see the light of day, feeling as fresh and modern as anything else on the album.
Recorded at Standard Electric Recording Company in Decatur, Ga. with producer Damon Moon (Blair Crimmins, Big Brutus, Sydney Eloise & the Palms), the album was tracked live in one room, capturing an old-school vibe while maintaining an undeniably modern sound. An air-tight rhythm section, ethereal keyboard work, and Jim’s well-worn archtop guitar are the core of the record’s sound, laying a foundation for expertly layered vocal harmonies.
These harmonies are a vital element to The Brookses’ sound. “I remember when Meg’s voice changed,” recalls Jim, “I noticed something different when we sang together. The way our voices harmonized–like the Everly Brothers, the Louvin Brothers, the Carter Family–there was something about our voices working together that was completely different from harmonizing with anyone else.” This phenomenon, known in some circles as “blood harmony,” is impossible to replicate; it’s quite literally in the Brookses D.N.A. and is a cornerstone of Lucky Charm.
In time, Meg had learned how to play guitar and try her own hand at songwriting. “The Bridge” was Meg’s first foray into writing on her own, and this folk-tinged tune would become the first song recorded under the Brookses moniker. “Because she’s my daughter, I wanted it to be good,” says Jim. “But as a musician I still had that built-in ‘shit detector.’ You have to be honest with musicians. And I was, honestly, really impressed.” It was this song, and Meg beginning to write on her own, that pushed Jim to follow through with the project that would ultimately become The Brookses. Other standout tracks from Meg include “Black Magic,” a voodoo-tinged blues that stirs up sin and salvation in the same pot, and “Little Miss Raincloud,” a lilting tune in waltz time that kicks off the album, based on a tongue-in-cheek nickname Meg gave herself.
The album takes on a decidedly classic country feel at times, with tracks like “If Tears Were Whiskey” and “Over Again,” both written by Jim, echoing works of Nashville’s bygone Countrypolitan era. “Those could’ve been sung by George Jones and Tammy Wynette,” Jim notes. “They’d be right at home on the radio in the 1950s–but at the same time, they’re contemporary songs.” This is a recurring theme throughout Lucky Charm; tried-and-true songwriting interwoven with modern production flourishes give these songs a warm, lived-in feel that’s as accessible in the present as it would have been in the golden age of radio.
A veteran of the Atlanta music scene, Jim Brooks has been a working musician his entire life, either as a guitarist/side-man or a songwriter on his own. He has been a fixture in Atlanta music and performing arts since the 1980s, working in a host of bands in the Little Five Points club scene back in the day as well as appearing in theatrical performances at Seven Stages, Theatrical Outfit, and Onstage Atlanta. In recent years, his focus has shifted to playing blues and jazz, and he was the founder of the popular Atlanta swing band the Savoy Kings.
Meg recalls tagging along on her father’s endeavors from an early age, recounting with a smirk the numerous occasions she found herself standing on tables at Atlanta’s renowned Euclid Avenue Yacht Club–well under the legal age of entry at the time. “She was probably younger than most of the furniture in there,” Jim notes with a chuckle.
The pair were always involved together musically, from Meg’s early years goofing around with Jim’s tape recorders to more recent times with Meg sitting in as a vocalist for the Savoy Kings. A regular gig at neighborhood listening room Red Light Cafe gave the duo a platform to hone their chops as The Brookses, and also allowed them to build a faithful local following.
Not one to dwell on the deeper meaning of their songs, Jim is adamant in the importance of art as something of a partnership between the creator and the consumer. The songwriter is only doing half of the work–he’s not here to tell you what his songs are about, because that would defeat the purpose. Lucky Charm is a collection of songs from two distinctive songwriters weaving their unique perspectives into a single family harmony, drawing deeply on the roots of country, folk and the blues. The music is there for you to connect with on your own terms, and that’s the way it should be, according to the Brookses.
Lucky Charm is out April 26.
“A rich bygone take on the stunning sound of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, that lifts with silvery harmonies and a rustic cinematic scope.” – Glide Magazine
“Timeless folk themes.” – Americana UK
“Inspired by revered songwriters…impactful.” – Wide Open Country
“Undeniably alluring…an absolute masterpiece.” – Imperfect Fifth
“Soulful” – 11Alive / Atlanta & Company
“Inspired by revered songwriters…impactful.” – Wide Open Country
“Excellent…will slowly wend its way under your skin and reveal the nuanced complexity of their offering.” – Americana UK
“A rich bygone take on the stunning sound of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, that lifts with silvery harmonies and a rustic cinematic scope.” – Glide Magazine
“Stirring vintage tunes layered in warm harmonies.” – Immersive Atlanta
“Undeniably alluring…an absolute masterpiece.” – Imperfect Fifth
“Lovely stuff, unassuming and rewarding in its sparse arrangement and gently swinging countrypolitan feel.” – Post to Wire