“When one starling changes direction or speed, each of the other birds in the flock responds to the change, and they do so nearly simultaneously regardless of the size of the flock.”
- M.R. Subramanian
Philadelphia-based Brother Starling has always lived somewhere between the roots of American music and the pull of rock and roll. The five-piece has built its sound around heartfelt songwriting, layered guitars and keyboards, vocal harmonies, and a rhythm section capable of moving from quiet restraint to full-band release.
Their debut album, The Weight of Change, introduced a band drawing heavily from Americana, classic rock, and the songwriting traditions of Laurel Canyon. With their new album, The World We Broke, Brother Starling pushes that sound forward.
Written in the years following the pandemic, The World We Broke looks at a world that feels noticeably different from the one that came before it—and at the ways people have changed along with it. Across ten songs, the album touches on isolation, addiction, technology, loss, anxiety, manipulation, and uncertainty, but never loses sight of the possibility of finding something better on the other side.
Musically, The World We Broke finds Brother Starling leaning further into melodic rock while still carrying traces of the Americana roots of their earlier work. The songs are bigger, brighter, and more immediate, driven by strong melodies, layered guitars and keyboards, vocal harmonies, and a classic sense of songcraft. There is still plenty of weight beneath the surface, but this time the band often pairs its heavier subject matter with music that pushes forward rather than dwelling in the darkness.
The contrast runs throughout the record, moving between driving rock songs and quieter, more reflective moments before arriving at the warmth and release of the album's closing track, “Home.”
Brother Starling is Geremiah Giampa (vocals/guitar), Tom Mellon (drums/vocals), Brian Fin (bass), Mike Rusch (guitar), and Joe Ryan (guitar/keyboards/vocals).
The World We Broke is not a record about having all the answers. It's a record about looking around, taking stock of where we are, and trying to find our way home.
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