Jake and Jamin Orrall said they'd do it. We didn't doubt them for a second, but when the actual brothers behind JEFF The Brotherhood took off their shirts before a "sad love song," there were still plenty of giggles in the NPR Music office. Of course, by "sad love song," JEFF The Brotherhood means "Bummer," a distorted, three-string guitar doo-wop complete with whoa-oh-oh-ohs.
Like the Ramones or early Weezer, the Nashville power-punk duo is really good at being funny without writing gimmicky songs. And, while "Bummer" ostensibly comes off a breakup record, We Are the Champions, it functions in the same humorously harsh way as Weezer's Pinkerton. You really feel for these guys, but you still want to bum-rush the mic and sing along, especially during the fuzzy rager "Shredder."
We didn't bum-rush the Tiny Desk, which JEFF The Brotherhood decorated with taxidermy. That would have been awkward. But for 17 minutes, imagine it's summer and a mixtape of We Are the Champions songs is playing full blast in the Dodge Charger — with "Bone Jam" as the bonus track from 2010's Heavy Days.
Set List
Credits
Michael Katzif (cameras); edited by Bob Boilen; audio by Kevin Wait; photo by Emily Bogle/NPR
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