Ears Wide Open: Little Brutes
Kevin Bronson on
1
You have to love synchronicity. While on tour supporting B.B. King last year, Los Angeles songstress Rachael Cantu had a little dressing-room jam with guitarist Harlan Silverman (the Alex in Alex and Sam, as well as the gifted guy who plays with the Belle Brigade and Mayer Hawthorne). The more Silverman tickled the strings, and the more Cantu sang, the more evident it became that there was some real chemistry. Little Brutes were born. Merely a studio project for now, Little Brutes just released their debut EP, which, not unlike Cantu’s solo albums, “Run All Night” and “Far and Wide,” reveal the singer’s keen pop sensibilities and whip-smart lyrics. And if you’ve ever watched Silverman onstage, you know he plays with a singular feel. A sweet pairing.
||| Download: “Do It All Again”
||| Also: Stream the whole EP via Soundcloud.
[…] It’s been three years since a synchronicitous dressing-room jam led to the formation of Little Brutes, the side project featuring the twin talents of Rachael Cantu and Harlan Silverman. Since releasing that initial self-titled EP, the principals have been busy independently and collaboratively, racking up a host of TV and film credits and working as co-writers for a host of name artists (Cantu with Tegan Quin and Tim Armstrong, among others, and Silverman with Mayer Hawthorne and Madi Diaz, as well as producing material by Gavin Turek). They merge their talents again on the new five-song EP “Desire,” due Jan. 13. Cantu brings a certain gravitas rare in electro-pop to the new song “Carefully,” which has the spare, retro groove characteristic of Silverman’s work. “Carefully,” now. […]