Bloodsucker: A Brotherkenzie Surprise
By Mackenzie Wagner
Just six months after his latest album release, Nathan Stocker, known as Brotherkenzie, released his newest album Bloodsucker. The album was released on Feb. 14 and came as a surprise to everyone waiting for the next Brotherkenzie album. Bloodsucker is the final part of a trilogy of albums released by Stocker.
Bloodsucker was announced just two weeks before the official release, but hints were shared on Stocker’s twitter the month before. On Jan. 22, a tweet that read “be my valentine” gained a lot of replies but only one that caught on to the hint that there would be a new release on Valentine’s Day. On Feb. 1, Bloodsucker was officially announced via Instagram with the release of “Don’t Look So Sad” as the first single off the album.
“Don’t Look So Sad” starts out very consistent with Stocker’s sound lyrically and musically. The guitar at the end of the track steers the song in a rock direction that is typically different from the soft alternative sounds in previous releases. A week later, the second and final single from Bloodsucker titled “It’s So Stupid To Be That Maniacal” was also released. The song features strong instrumentals and a spoken French interlude. In a similar style, both songs transition from a soft sound to a more harsh guitar sound.
“Psychopath” sits in the middle of the tracklist and stands out nicely mid-album. It highlights a soft poetic rhythm that contrasts with a rock guitar sound. This blend of previous soft sounds and exploring strong rock sounds is nice to see throughout Bloodsucker, but especially in “Psychopath”. Like many other Brotherkenzie songs, the lyrics are introspective and reflective of connections to oneself and to others.
One thing that has always been consistent about Stocker's albums is that despite each individual track being distinct in sound, they all transition into each other so well. While each track can stand alone and showcase a different aspect of Stocker's talent, they all come together smoothly. At first listen, it is nice to hear an album that transitions so well when listening from beginning to end.
As Stocker shared online, the trilogy of albums he has been working on is now complete with the latest release of Bloodsucker. Stocker has a distinct sound to his work, but is always pushing those boundaries to try new things. With each album, the lyrics get more insightful and the sound develops even more. While it is uncertain what is next for Brotherkenzie, one can be sure that it will continue to push the boundaries of the ordinary.