The Dick Brothers is a collaboration betwixt two native West Virginian singer-songwriter brothers, Andrew Iafrate and Michael Iafrate (The Minus Tide, COBRA, M Iafrate & The Priesthood). Powerful artists in their own right, the Iafrates, under this charming moniker, have made numerous live appearances on conventional stages and at Christmas party sing-alongs.
Before migrating to homes away from their Appalachian birthplace in the summer of 2006 (Andrew to Austin, Texas and Michael to Toronto, Ontario), The Dick Brothers teamed up for a whiskey-soaked recording session which resulted in a 10-track record. The self-titled album was recorded in three hours time to one track through one microphone in a basement in Parkersburg, West Virginia and is made up of four original instrumentals and six bluegrassy/ol’ timey cover songs penned by the likes of Hazel Dickens, The Stanley Brothers, and Gillian Welch. The result is a beautiful tribute to the brothers' home state, "the nearest thing to heaven that they know." The entire record was made available (as remains available!) as a free download at their Virb.com page and at the factory R website.
Intending to make good on their tendency toward a musical gift economy, The Dick Brothers will release a follow-up full-length as well as a two-song EP on November 1, 2008 as free internet downloads. The eight-song album, titled Uncle Brother, features traditional Appalachian songs as well as tunes by Dolly Parton, Will Oldham, Gillian Welch, Ryan Adams, The Folk Implosion, and Paul Simon. The Brothers' sister guest stars on the album, singing the haunting track "West Virginia Mine Disaster."
The single, called the Straight Up EP, features a cover of Paula Abdul’s touching ballad of the same name backed with a much-too-drunk-to-go-on-side-one cover version of the R.E.M. classic "Wendell Gee."
Both releases come your way November 1 (All Saints Day, by some reckonings), giving you plenty of time to dump them on your iPod and waddle down to your local polling place to cast your vote for the right folk.
as a displaced west virginian that still sees the green rolling hills of tucker county, west virginia, when she closes her eyes, i would like to say thank you for the beautiful songs about my home.
