Lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Chuck Emery started what would eventually become Brother., as a solo project in 2012, while living in St. George, Utah. At the time, Emery exhibited a folk Americana sound that was more mellow but still serves as the foundation for much of Brother.’s newer work, which Emery says is “not as sad now.”
After an LDS mission to Japan, Emery settled in Provo and began playing small shows and open mics with an assortment of friends.
The Lineup
Clockwise from top left, Brother. feature Chuck Emery, Scott Knutson, Erika Goodwin and Nathan Standage. (Not pictured: Eli Pratt.)
After a bit of musical chairs, Emery called on bassist Erika Goodwin who joined as the first full-time addition to the band.
Later, while searching for a drummer, Emery met Nate Standage at church. He recalls telling Nate, “You look like a band guy.” “That’s because I am,” was Nate’s reply, and Nate soon joined as the third member.
When Grey Glass drummer Scott Knutson, came about, Nate moved to guitars and leys. That would be a fortuitous move.
Finally, and just months before the pandemic hit, Grey Glass bassist Eli Pratt joined the band, rounding out the current lineup.
The Process
Emery primarily writes from his home in Provo, and Brother. band members come together now to rework and finalize each piece, leaning on Nate’s skill in audio engineering to produce the sound they want.
Who plays what instrument can be a bit confusing, as the multi-instrumentalist members tend to shift around. This approach has given Brother. greater creative freedom, letting members explore and develop their sound far beyond where the group started.
Who plays what instrument can be a bit confusing, as the multi-instrumentalist members tend to shift around.”
And this approach has worked well, scoring Brother. an invitation to play across the pond in London and Paris. In addition to the Europe tour, Brother. had a domestic tour planned, which would have taken them through Idaho, California, and Texas.
Unfortunately, the pandemic put a stop to tour plans. Brother. continued with their release schedule, dropping their first 2020 single, “Oxidate,” around the time they would have been on stage at South by Southwest.
“Oxidate” captures the feeling of loss over the end of a relationship and the recognition that every story has two sides. It’s catchy, rhythmic, and draws in listeners to share in the relatable honesty Chuck seeks to infuse his songs with. Check out the hilarious video of “Oxidate,” included in our “Song Picks of the Week,” from July 2020.
It’s not just Emery’s experiences that inform the music. Brother. also draws influence from other mediums and interests that form a basis for many of their songs.
“Without It,” from their 2018 album “Volume II,” finds its origins in the first season of “The Flash” from CW and the strenuous relationships of the show’s protagonists. Likewise, several of the tracks from the album were derived from films where Emery finds a certain universality in their messages and themes. He says he sees this process like that of a director adapting a novel.
“Everything is a story,” says Emery. “Movies and acting in general give an emphasized portrait of human emotion and help us feel and see what they feel and see—similar to music.”
Movies and acting in general give an emphasized portrait of human emotion and help us feel and see what they feel and see—similar to music.”
Beyond Corona
Though the pandemic has been hard on live shows, Brother. has continued building and sharing stories through song.
The band recently signed a deal with Handwritten Records and are hard at work on their next album: the first to fully utilize the full five-member lineup and new resources available to the band.
Their latest release, “Ain’t Over You” is out now and the album, “Volume III” is planned for release in 2021.
Until then, you might find them skating together around Provo
Find Brother. on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Learn more about the band at brotherofficial.net, watch on Youtube, stream on Spotify and buy on Apple Music.
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