JEFF the Brotherhood

All Music Guide:

An actual brotherhood, though not actually containing anyone named Jeff, JEFF the Brotherhood is the brainchild of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall (who also played in Be Your Own Pet). The sons of successful songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall, the Nashville duo started out in 2001 while they were still in high school. Combining psychedelic rock, garage, and power pop influences, the pair have cultivated an eccentric, driving sound that explores the boundaries of rock & roll without forgetting the importance of a solid melodic hook, at times evoking a heavier, but more stripped-down version of Cheap Trick. Through their own Infinity Cat label, JEFF the Brotherhood created a prolific body of work starting in 2002 with I Like You. The band followed up with a quick run of limited albums, including 2005’s The Byzantine Empire, 2006’s Castle Storm, and 2008’s The Boys R Back in Town. In 2009, the pair released their first widely distributed album, Heavy Days, and expanded their fan base to include the indie set through collaborations with Best Coast and Screaming Females. 2011 would also prove to be a big year, with the band releasing the live album Live at Third Man through Jack White’s Third Man Records, as well as another full-length, We Are the Champions. Their next album found the band participating in two high-profile team-ups, first recording with the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, and then signing on with Warner Bros to release their 2012 album Hypnotic Nights.

Wikipedia:

JEFF the Brotherhood is a two-piece rock band consisting of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall, hailing from Nashville, Tennessee. Their style has been described by music writers as containing elements of psychedelic rock, garage rock, punk and pop. They have released five original LPs on the label Infinity Cat Recordings, one live album on Third Man Records, and assorted singles and splits with noted artists such as Ty Segall, Best Coast, and Screaming Females. They tour extensively and have played shows across the United States and internationally.

History [edit]

Early years [edit]

Brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall are the sons of successful producer/singer/songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall and grew up surrounded by music. They founded JEFF the Brotherhood (originally simply called JEFF) in 2001, while still in high school. Their first album, I Like You, was funded using pre-orders from the audience at a show for their side project, The Sex. although this work did not see widespread exposure, it received critical acclaim. They started several other bands and side projects (including post-punk quartet Be Your Own Pet), eventually leaving them all and moving from Nashville to Chicago in order to pursue JEFF the Brotherhood full-time. The band returned to Nashville when Jamin dropped out of Columbia College Chicago.

Heavy Days - Hypnotic Nights [edit]

Throughout the 2000s, they released several limited-release albums and toured extensively. The band began to receive nationwide attention in 2009 with the release of Heavy Days; although the album is their fifth, it is often mistakenly reported to be their first. Soon afterwards, they collaborated with Best Coast on an EP released on Volcom and released a live album on Jack White's Third Man Records.

In 2011, JEFF the Brotherhood and their family label, Infinity Cat Recordings, signed a deal with Warner Music Group that would give them "substantial creative control," as well as wider distribution. According to their father, Robert Ellis Orrall, starting with We Are The Champions, JEFF the Brotherhood releases would receive global distribution from WMG's Alternative Distribution Alliance under the Warner/Independent Label Group umbrella. Warner Music A&R representative Ryan Whalley told Billboard Magazine that the deal was "a little different than how we usually work with bands" because the band would "maintain a foot in both Warner and Infinity Cat."

In 2012, JEFF the Brotherhood performed live instrumentation for Insane Clown Posse's single for Third Man Records, "Leck mich im Arsch", a rearrangement of a Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composition produced by Jack White. They also released a live EP recorded at United Record Pressing called Upstairs At United, Vol. 3 for Record Store Day.

JEFF The Brotherhood teamed up with Dan Auerbach to produce their latest studio album and first album on Warner Bros. Records, Hypnotic Nights. The album was recorded in just one week at Dan's Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville, TN and was released on July 17, 2012. “We’ve never worked with a producer before, so this was the first time we’d ever had any outside input,” says Jamin. “It was Dan’s first co-production, too, and it really worked. He just hung out, let us do our thing and helped when we needed it.” Adds Jake, “We write songs without anyone else in mind, so Dan brought in this idea of, ‘Well, you guys do what you do and I’ll present it so everyone else will understand.’”

On July 9, 2012, NPR Music began streaming the entirety of their 7th album, entitled Hypnotic Nights.

Media exposure [edit]

Print [edit]

The band was named one of SPIN magazine's "must-hear acts" at 2011's South by Southwest festival, one of SPIN magazine's "best spring tours" of 2011 and one of the "Best of What's Next" by Paste magazine in 2010.

Radio [edit]

BBC Radio's Zane Lowe has sung the band's praises, calling them "super endearing garage rock" in an interview.

Hypnotic Nights reached #1 on the CMJ Radio 200 Album Chart on August 14, 2012.

Film and television [edit]

The band appeared on the PBS program We Have Signal, where they were the subject of a half-hour long segment.

The band's song "U Got the Look" is featured in the comedy film Cedar Rapids.

The band appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, playing their song "Diamond Way".

The band performed their new single "Sixpack" on the Late Show with David Letterman on July 17, 2012, the release date of their album Hypnotic Nights.