The Brothers Comatose

The Brothers Comatose is a five-piece bluegrass band based out of San Francisco, California. The band consists of brothers Ben and Alex Morrison, who play guitar and banjo, respectively, along with Gio Benedetti on the bass, Philip Brezina with the violin, and Ryan Avellone on the mandolin.

The Brothers Comatose
The Brothers Comatose in Denver, Colorado in August 2019
Background information
OriginSan Francisco, United States
GenresBluegrass, folk-rock
Years active2009–present
Websitehttp://www.thebrotherscomatose.com/
Members
  • Ben Morrison (vocals, guitar)
  • Alex Morrison (vocals, banjo, guitar)
  • Ryan Avallone (mandolin)
  • Giovanni Benedetti (vocals, bass)
  • Philip Brezina (violin)

History

Born in Petaluma, California, frontman Ben Morrison along with his brother, Alex Morrison began playing guitar and singing songs at age 12, taking a liking to Rock and Roll. The brothers grew up around music, hosting music parties.[1]

“The Morrison house was a gathering place for local musicians – everyone would bring an instrument, call out tunes, call out changes, and just play for hours” says Brothers Comatose bassist, Giovanni Benedetti [2] 

The band began with the two brothers doing arrangements of songs by bands such as Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.[1][3]

Since then, the group has released three records: Songs From The Stoop (2010), Respect the Van (2012), and City Painted Gold (2016). They have played and headlined bluegrass festivals like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, High Sierra Music Festival, Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, and Kate Wolf Music Festival.[2] The Brothers Comatose have also led extended tours with The Devil Makes Three, Yonder Mountain String Band and Lake Street Dive.[1]

Musical style and influences

The Brothers Comatose's style is often described as a high-energy,[3] foot-stompin',[4] "rowdy"[5] folk-rock string band. The Acoustic Guitar Magazine describes their music as an "upbeat brand of Americana with lots of twang, a dash of wit, and a splash of surrealism.[6]" At many of their shows, the Brothers Comatose would encourage crowd participation, including clapping, sing-along, and passing around chopsticks to use as percussion instruments.[4][7] The band redefines bluegrass music as a blend of contemporary rock and traditional bluegrass. Glide Magazine claims that the Brothers Comatose "bows both to tradition and contemporary designs. Theirs is a rugged, rustic sound that’s implied in each of these eleven songs, one that allows their old timey string band approach to ring with an air of authenticity."[8]

Both the Morrison brothers' parents were musicians. They were inspired mostly by their mother, who was in a folk band, harmonizing with other singers in their living room. They have re-created that in their string band with three-part harmonies, with Ben Morrison's warm, gritty baritone usually taking the lead.[9]

Discography

Albums
Year Title Label
2010 Songs from the Stoop Swamp Jam Records
2012 Respect the Van Swamp Jam Records
2016 City Painted Gold Swamp Jam Records
2018 Ink, Dust, and Luck AntiFragile Music

EPs
Year Title Label
2012 The Covers EP Swamp Jam Records
2016 The Metal EP Swamp Jam Records
2016 The Covers EP: Vol. 2 Swamp Jam Records
2017 The Punk EP Swamp Jam Records

Singles
Year Title Label
2017 "Don't Make Me Get Up And Go" Swamp Jam Records

References
  1. "About". www.thebrotherscomatose.com. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  2. "The Brothers Comatose at Sweet Pea Festival 2014". bozemanmagazine.com. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  3. poet, j. "The Brothers Comatose: High-energy acoustic". SFGate. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  4. "Interview with Ben Morrison of The Brothers Comatose".
  5. "The Brothers Comatose Liven Up Tellus 360". www.tristateindie.com. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  6. "Acoustic Guitar Sessions Presents the Brothers Comatose". Acoustic Guitar. April 28, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  7. Fitzpatrick, Claire. "The Brothers Comatose To Make Oz Debut At Dashville Skyline". scenestr.com.au. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  8. "Brothers Comatose Find Common Ground in Past & Present on 'City Painted Gold' (ALBUM REVIEW) - Glide Magazine". Glide Magazine. March 17, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
  9. "Brothers Comatose at Harlow's on Friday". sacbee. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
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