When the
Kadane brothers --
Matt and
Bubba -- disbanded
Bedhead, it was at the height of that band's creativity and excellence. Wherever they went, well-deserved critical acclaim seemed to follow, and for good reason: Their music was intricate, touching, and emotional to a degree few bands ever reach.
Bedhead's final album,
Transaction de Novo was particularly affecting.
The New Year is led (and all its songs are written) by the
Kadane brothers, who were apparently less taking a break from each other than from the project they had created.
The New Year's debut album,
Newness Ends, comes after the band had played only a handful of shows, and while it has obvious similarities to
Bedhead, the reason for the name change is also apparent. The most blatant difference is the tempos on
Newness Ends. Whereas
Bedhead records rarely made it past a crawl, these new songs take a similar songwriting approach and hit the gas a bit. The first track,
"Half a Day," announces the difference with a bouncing rhythm, something heretofore not seen by the
Kadanes. The true test of
Newness Ends' greatness, though, is whether it would stand on its own as a debut album by a group of unknowns, without having to live up -- or down -- to die-hard fans' expectations. Clearly it does, blending the brilliant writing and playing of these two slow rock pioneers' past an present. It's a step sideways into amazing, only partially discovered territory. ~ Josh Modell
![Beneath the Skin [Box Set] [B&N Exclusive]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602547306456_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Beneath the Skin [Box Set] [B&N Exclusive]")
![Goo [LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602547349415_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Goo [LP]")
![Walls Have Ears [Yellow & Red Vinyl]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0657628443933_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Walls Have Ears [Yellow & Red Vinyl]")
![Nothing Happens [Clear Vinyl] [Barnes & Noble Exclusive]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0075678616013_p0_v3_s90x140.jpg "Nothing Happens [Clear Vinyl] [Barnes & Noble Exclusive]")
![The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We [Robin Egg Blue Vinyl]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0656605165035_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We [Robin Egg Blue Vinyl]")
![Dreamland [Real Life Edition] [Glow-in-the-Dark Vinyl]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602445927449_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Dreamland [Real Life Edition] [Glow-in-the-Dark Vinyl]")
