The Blood Brothers

The Blood Brothers' studio recordings are fairly raucous, but still somewhat controlled, while this live recording is more chaotic. An 11-song performance marking the tenth anniversary of the Old Fire House club in Seattle, WA, on September 27, 2002, the show finds the quintet on a tiny stage before a packed audience, using the claustrophobic conditions to their benefit. Co-lead singers Johnny Whitney and Jordan Blilie screech over the punk arrangements played by guitarist Cody Votolato, bassist Morgan Henderson, and drummer Mark Gajadhar. A primary influence would seem to be Gang of Four, in the angularity of the playing and the chanted nature of the singing, but the Blood Brothers are fiercer and more energetic. Whitney in particular attracts attention, often crowd-surfing and finding himself thrown back on-stage. The songs are nearly incoherent, of course, but the band's power is undeniable. The DVD also contains audio-only performances of "Ambulance Vs. Ambulance," "USA Nails," and "Mutiny on the Ark of the Blood Brothers," as well as a discography and a photo gallery. Jungle Rules Live gives a good sense of the band's music and its performing style, both of which can be described as extreme. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide