The Bros. Landreth at Mercury Lounge

Joey Landreth and David Landreth were raised in a music family in Winnipeg, Canada, where they followed the steps of their dad, veteran musician Wally Landreth. The brothers spent their early careers independently performing as hired musicians for other artists. After one particularly long and challenging tour, Joey called his older brother and proposed they collaborate on their own music. The Bros. Landreth formed in 2013. In 2014, the Bros. Landreth won the Canadian Folk Music Award for New/Emerging Artist of the Year, and in 2015 the band won the Juno Award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year. The Bros. Landreth's second album, released on September 27, 2019, is titled ’87, recalling the year the two became brothers.

Headlining at Mercury Lounge tonight, accompanied by keyboardist Liam Duncan and drummer Mike Carbone, the Bros. Landreth performed a silky-smooth set of harmony-laden down-home country-folk music. Joey played lead guitar and was the primary vocalist, and David played bass and also sang lead on a few songs. The songs were written from the heart and specialized in sad heart wringers. The brothers' sibling harmonies heightened the intensity and passion of the crescendos, and Joey's slide guitar further carried the melodies. The band's honest integrity became the key that unlocked the doors to southern rockers and soulful ballads. Although rooted in Americana, the Bros. Landreth packed enough pop vocals and arrangements to cross over to the mainstream market.