So, here you have SOUTHDOGROCK's fresh new single, giving a big, warm hug of friendship beyond appearance. It's about that best friend who's maybe not gonna win any modelling contracts, but who's literally the most awesome person to have in life.
As always, Florian Döppert keeps bringing these relatable, fun yet emotional subjects through his songs, all while keeping the musical ceiling high through not just his vocals but also through the overall production.
Now, 'Ugly Brothers' starts off by brutally roasting a friend, singing about how this friend's not tall, not pretty and even going as far as to call them chubby. But while Florian's tone here feels quite candid as he slowly reveals the physical shortcomings of his beloved friend, you hear Florian lovingly revealing the unconditional brotherhood.
What Florian's trying to say here is true friendship surpasses physical characteristics, flaws, insecurities, and all. Knowingly or unknowingly, as personal as things may sound, this song also kind of confronts issues of self-image and societal beauty standards. And, the title of this song itself tells us that Döppert includes himself in the humorous ugliness so together, these brothers are probably laughing at themselves without judgment.
The music of this song, well, Florian himself calls it a pure shot of good whiskey, as it dips into the colours of blues rock, hailing straight from Delta, Mississippi. As a band though, you have some high-dynamic performances lighting up the mix with melodic soft yet aggressively bold tones. You have, of course, Florian Döppert's vocals and blues harp, with Salva Balbo's guitar, Frank Heider's bass, Martin Hugenschmidt's drums, and Frank Schultz's keyboards.
This upbeat composition keeps things fresh with layered vocals and harmonies that expand with calming reverb and delay. The bridge switches up the rhythm, featuring a playful keyboard solo surrounded by a mix of distorted and clean electric guitar tones. A touch of piano adds warmth, while the well-timed variations in breaks between sections show great coordination from the band. The sound is bright and cheerful and yet is coated with gratitude and affection.
That being said, there's some shared history and a commitment to continued mutual support between these two. The ugliness can be interpreted in many ways, we already know that it's not definitely derogatory and in a way, is used to show honesty in a relationship, the uncomfortable truths out of closeness.
Florian's writing intentionally uses harsh physical descriptions to subvert conventional ideas of attractiveness. The song undoubtedly mimics the way close friends might tease each other without malice, proving that absolutely nothing will break their brotherly friendship.
You are loved. Not despite your flaws. But completely, totally, absolutely WITH your flaws.