‘Well, Hell’ South Carolina’s BROTHER OLIVER Have Some Deliciously Psychedelic New Folk-Rock [Album Premiere]

Brother Oliver are getting all folky and psychedelic today and it’s due to the debut of their brand new album, Well, Hell, which arrives on Friday, August 30th. (For goodness sake, pre-order it now through, Apple Music, Amazon, Bandcamp or CD Baby.) Playing nearly 250 shows over the last year has put a lot of miles behind these boys, but they’ve come out of it with new experiences and music. Some of these 250 gigs includes slots alongside Steve Miller Band, Father John Misty, Big Head Todd and The Monsters, J Roddy Walston and the Business, and Drivin N Cryin. The list goes, but I think you get the idea that this duo has both been busy, and paid many dues.

Driven by the talents of brothers Andrew and Stephen Oliver, Brother Oliver is situated in the comfy confines of Greenville, South Carolina. The project began back in 2011 in the small city of Greenville, Michigan, convincingly proving that there are way too many cities and towns with the same name. The Oliver brothers spent their formative years in Michigan but for much of their lives, they maintained the angst for something both new and better. They decided to pick up and move to the new Greenville in South Carolina in 2013 and upon arriving, Andrew began the writing and recording process for the twosome’s debut record.

Well, Hell, y’all can stream the entire album right here:

Well, Hell was self-produced in their Appalachian home studio and, with a lot more to say regarding the new record, singer and guitarist Andrew Oliver commented, “We chose to title the album Well, Hell for a few different reasons. The flexibility of the expression was appealing. You can literally say ‘well, hell’ in response to just about anything, good news, bad news, feeling sad, feeling excited, it works for all situations. But as far as its actual meaning, we found the title fitting for the themes of the album.

“If you listen closely, the album is loosely a religious commentary. A lot of the lyrics touch on and question the concept of the afterlife, the marketing of the afterlife, and the debate of sticking to the religious narrative you’ve been raised to believe, or moving on to something different. Being based in the Bible-belt of the Carolinas, we’ve found these topics to be particularly relevant.”

Listen to the guys’s latest and just-released single “Altars:”

Andrew continues, “A lot of our previous catalog touches on similar matters too, but never so directly. We wanted to put it all on the line with this album, in the overall quality and size of the work, but also in the very clear nature of the message. There was no pandering based on what we thought people might like to hear. We made an album based on what we like to do and what we do best. It felt like a ‘Well, Hell’ kind of thing.”

There is a lot to like about what Brother Oliver are up to and with tour dates ahead, we look forward to what’s to come in response to this new release. Make sure to check out the duo’s Spotify page for new music.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

08/29 – Greenville, SC – Horizon Records
08/31 – Campbellsville, KY – Campbellsville Folk Festival
09/02 – Matthews, NC – Matthews Alive
09/19 – Charlotte, NC – US National Whitewater Center
09/20-21 – Bristol, TN – Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
10/19 – Columbia, SC – South Carolina State Fair
11/23 – Spartanburg, SC – Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium (w/ Susto)

Check out the artwork for Brother Oliver’s new record Well, Hell: