Folk-rock supergroup Middle Brother first assembled in 2009 after multiple impromptu joint performances across preceding years, having briefly operated under the temporary name MG&V. Its lineup unites three principal songwriters—John McCauley of Deer Tick, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit—whose combined efforts yield an ethereal, melancholic style that merges strands from each member’s separate endeavors into one coherent sound. The trio recognized the value of mutual creative pressure and therefore moved forward at an accelerated pace. Early in 2010 the group booked time at a Nashville studio to capture its first recordings, then delivered an initial live set at SXSW only months afterward. Partisan Records issued the resulting self-titled album Middle Brother in 2011.
