The Belle Brigade is playing Mercury Lounge in Manhattan on Wednesday.
In keeping with the aforementioned musical trend of resurrecting/paying homage to ‘70s-era SoCal soft rockers/Laurel Canyon legends, the Belle Brigade serve up harmonies evoking Fleetwood Mac circa Rumours.
On the band’s self-titled debut, siblings Ethan and Barbara Gruska have the kind of creative chemistry you’d expect to hear from Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, particularly on the infectious “Where Not to Look for Freedom” and the equally rollicking “Belt of Orion.”
Elsewhere, the twangy side of the Fab Four gets the nod with a guitar riff that would do the late George Harrison proud (“My Goodness”) as does Rockpile-flavored pub rock (“Lucky Guy”). Belle Brigade conjour up the kind of musical manna that begs to be heard in as intimate a venue as the Mercury Lounge.
Milo Greene is opening.