The Lost Brothers

Live review in Irish Times to day for The Lost Brothers..."An Irish duo that sounds like the ghosts of The Everly Brothers whispering a secret to Hank Williams. Understated they may be, but the music is pure, lonesome and lovely" - Live review in Irish Times to day for The Lost Brothers

“Listening to them successfully obliterates the cold hard present .I’m going to bed to listen to The Lost Brothers for a decade”Hot Press 4 stars - Hot Press 4 stars

“A lovely sepia aura hangs over So Long John Fante which could have plausibly been recorded 50 years ago, so indebted is it to the bittersweet soft pop of the pre rock era” Metro Herald 4 stars - Metro Herald 4 stars

“The Brothers have an ear for effortless poetry and stark powerful melodies underpinning to die for, harmony singing. A powerful musical punch”. The Irish Examiner. 4 stars - The Irish Examiner. 4 stars

“Pitching their stylistic tent somewhere between Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers (with a hint of Simon and Garfunkel) The Lost Brothers bring sheer delight with their song craft” 4 stars
- Irish Times

Americana is a pretty loose critical description at the best of times, but after this summer’s revolting aural assault from Kid Rock, the danger of suggesting some kind of generic equivalence between the romantic, tender Americana of the Lost Brothers and the yee-haw-six-pack-and-spousal-abuse Americana of Mr. Rock is particularly pronounced. Rest assured, the Lost Brothers operate at the opposite end of the spectrum from All Summer Long’s turgid hick-fest, both geographically (they actually hail from Ireland) and sonically, layering carefully crafted songs with pedal steel guitar, acoustic arpeggios and harmonic vocals that croon about fools in love. Its affectingly straightforward approach rewards with an atmospheric timelessness, though by drawing from such a limited rustic palette the record occasionally flags from a lack of variety. But when it works - as on the Simon and Garfunkel strum of Angry at the Sun, or the laidback, whistle-led Wake Me Up - it soars. [Chris Buckle]

- the skinny (scotland)

The Lost Brothers craft Everly Brothers style melodies and pitch-perfect autumnal songs full of love and longing that effortlessly transport you to another place . Already in 2010 they've played with The Swell Season, Richard Hawley and appeared on the BBC's The Culture Show. Barry caught up with one half of the Irish duo, Oisin Leech and talked about their origins, working with Bright Eyes' producer and why the aforementioned Mr Hawley is such a fan...
- 2fm

The Lost Brothers hail from Omagh and Navan. Mark Mccausland and Oisin Leech aren’t actually brothers at all but from the way they talk about their music and the dreams they both have, they may as well be.

Their debut album received rave reviews in England and Ireland from the likes of NME, The Irish Times, Hot Press and Word Magazine comparing the sound to that of a more ragged Simon and Garfunkel. They start a 22 date winter tour in October 2009 which takes them around Scotland, Ireland and England.

The band are currently working on their second album with help from Bill Ryder Jones of the Coral. The Lost Brothers will play at Auntie Annies Attic on Friday December 11th 2009 with support from John D’Arcy.
Perhaps separated at birth musically and with a long musical history behind both of them in the form of The Basement and the 747s, Mark and Oisin become more mesmerising as the minutes go by……with no expectations for what journey they are about to embark on except pure love for the instruments they play, for the songs they write, for the lyrics they sing. It’s the perfect union and yet so beautifully unplanned.

Having never played live as The Lost Brothers until one night in Portland, Oregon in 2008, roaming the streets and handing out hand-made tickets for a show they later put on. This is the way of the brothers – everything happens exactly as they want to and exactly how it should. With such musical integrity and passion in everything they do, it’s clear that all that matters to Mark and Oisin is that they truly enjoy every second of what they are doing.

Recording their debut album in Portland, Oregan in the attic of producer Mike Coykendall (M Ward, Bright Eyes, She and Him), they talk about the ghost they met in that very same house, the strange and inspirational atmosphere that they suddenly found themselves in and how their time in Portland was one of the most meaningful and fulfilling experiences they have ever had as musicians. They surrounded themselves with nothing but their dreams… in this quiet space they found themselves feeding this uninhibited musical focus. Starting their days at midday and going on well into the night, the time escaped them. For those three weeks, all time was lost…

Their dream was to always create something of beauty, integrity and entirely home made with nothing but their voices and instruments to carry them through.

Returning to their home, the journey starts along its path, with new perspectives and new musical experiences on their minds The Trails Of The Lonely (Parts I and III) was born. The album received rave reviews in England and Ireland from the likes of NME, The Irish Times, Hot Press and Word Magazine comparing the sound to that of a more ragged Simon and Garfunkel.

Since the release they have done shows with well respected American acts such as Justin Townes Earle, The Handsome Family, M Ward and Jolie Holland.

At the “End of the Road” festival Richard Hawley joined the band onstage for a song.

Lee Mavers, lead songer of the La’s,also joined the band on bass guitar over the summer and in October the band have been asked to open for Richard Hawley upon his request at the Olympia in Dublin as well as touring Ireland with Richmond Fontaine.

In 2009 the band were invited on radio shows with Steve Lamacq, Bob Harris and Janice Long. The Summer has been a successful run of festival slots from Glastonbury to the Electric Picnic.

They’re already lined up to open for Oscar winners The Swell Season on their UK tour in January 2010. As well as starring as themselves in a feature film set in Poland, written by Derel Lister.

They start a 22 date winter tour in October 2009 which takes them around Scotland, Ireland and England.

Mark and Oisin’s voices carry a feeling of both strength and vulnerability and it captures the very essence of the human spirit, the reconciliation of attachment and detachment and the strength that’s found through dark days. Perhaps an understanding of feeling something other than what is directly in front of us?

The band are currently working on their second album with help from Bill Ryder Jones of the Coral.

This tale will continue……

- fame magazine

Former 747s and The Basement members have united for a new album under the name The Lost Brothers.

The Basement’s Mark McCausland and ex 747s lead singer Oisin Leech will release their debut ‘Trails Of The Lonely-Parts I and III’ on November 17.

The album was recorded in Portland, Oregon with Bright Eyes/M Ward producer Mike Coykendall and Decembrists collaborator Adam Selzer.

The new record will be launched with a show at Boogaloo Bar in Highgate, London on November 11, with rumours that The Pogues' Shane MacGowan may make an appearance.

Meanwhile Leech is set to be reunited with Arctic Monkeys’ frontman Alex Turner later this month.

Not only did the 747s support Turner’s band, but both groups collaborated on the ’Baby I’m Yours’ cover, which appeared on the b-side of Arctic Monkeys’ ’Leave Before The Lights Come On’ single.

The Lost Brothers have now been invited by BBC 6Music DJ Steve Lamacq to appear on his BBC Electric Proms show which will be broadcast live in Liverpool on October 24 ahead of the The Last Shadow Puppets performance at the festival.

- NME

Trails of the Lonely (Parts I & III) by the Lost Brothers (Bird Dog)

The heart of the Lost Brothers is two voices and two acoustic guitars charting a wholesome path through often not-so-wholesome themes of heartache—forsaking true love to “try every toy on the shelf,” mourning the murder of a beloved prostitute, begging forgiveness from an unconvinced sweetheart. “Fallen,” a hit and
a pleasure, is an egg-on-my-face lament set to a languorous swing beat with a piano chirping somewhere in the room and a cello walking up and down the chorus. The lyrics feel familiar, almost bland sometimes, but there’s a rich, ruddy ore buried in these songs that makes them novel and profound. —Ty Otis

- utne reader (US)

Fri 12 Dec 2008
The Lost Brothers
Trails of the Lonely (parts 1 & 111) ****Smooth as oak-aged whiskey, Irish duo Oisin Leech (of the 747s) and Mark McCausland (of The Basement) wax lackadaisical alongside acoustic guitar, hearts planted firmly in Simon Garfunkel's hands and Crosby Stills and Nash's Zen Americana. Beguiling, genuine and the perfect soundtrack to a lone train ride across golden fields, Trails of the Lonely's boots are timeless and worn.

The album was recorded in the haunted Oregon attic of Bright Eyes producer Mike Coykendale, and tracks such as City of the Rose have a wistful romanticism not often encountered in these parts - a sort packed with as much sweet sadness as steel pedal guitar. - the irish times