The Harmed Brothers

Across The Waves

Fluff & Gravy Records

The Americana and indie rock Harmed Brothers are Missouri native Ray Vietti and Los Angeles multi-instrumentalist Alex Salcido. The two songwriters quickly became kindred spirits through their songs of love and loss, binge drinking and redemption. The banjo/guitar duo released their independently produced debut “All The Lies You Wanna Hear” in 2010. A year later they released “Come Morning” on the Oklahoma City based Lackpro Records. Blossoming into a full band they released “Better Days” in 2013. They followed up with an EP in 2016, as well as their 2017 self-titled album, their first for Fluff and Gravy.

Now living in Ludlow Kentucky, just eight miles from the sin city of Newport, the Harmed Brothers crossed the river to record their fifth LP, “Across The Waves”, at Cincinnati’s historic Herzog Studios where Hank Williams first recorded the “Lovesick Blues” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”.  Other artists who recorded at Herzog Studios include Flatt and Scruggs, The Delmore Brothers, Bullmoose Jackson (The Honeydripper), Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page and Moon Mulligan.

Today The Harmed Brothers include Salcido, keyboards, guitars, banjo, and vocals; Vietti, acoustic guitar and vocals; Ben Knight, electric guitar and backing vocals; Steve Hauke, pedal steel; Matthew McClure, bass; and Ryan Land, drums and percussion. The ten originals capture the Brothers navigating through these tumultuous times, coping with hopelessness. Yet the songs maintain optimism and implore the listener to stay the course and keep on. These feelings are best expressed in the opening track “Skyline Over”.

Both “Picture Show” and “River Town” are about finding someone special enough to want to come home.  The latter includes the lyric “in a river town, where you and I feel safe, and I hope we always feel this way”.

“Funnies” is a story about an old man longing to experience the world again, but settling for the comfort of home and the comics in the morning paper.

“All The Same” and “Where You’re Going” are about fate and the cycle of life. “Time” and “Ride It Out” involve a sense of hopelessness and the anxiety that accompanies it and includes the lyric “ride it out, take a deep breath”.

Despite their seriousness The Harmed Brothers songs contain an uplifting spirituality. This is a rock n’ band with something to say.

Richard Ludmerer