Brother Oliver – “Minimum Wage (Parlor Version)”

Fueled by a bouncing piano riff atop ambient synth, Brother Oliver’s latest release – “Minimum Wage (Parlor Version)” – breathes new life into a song previously released on 2020’s Command Shift EP. What started as a piano riff inspired by the original recording’s chord progression turned into an opportunity for the band to highlight a different side of their music. 

“We’ve made a lot of spiritual indie and also a lot of rock,” says Andrew Oliver, one half of the band’s namesake, “but I wanted to show the more laid-back aspects of our lives.”  

This more laid-back aspect manifests itself through the sparse arrangement. Stephen Oliver plucks out mandolin fills against George Sweet’s piano. Robert Gowan takes a guest spot on violin, making for a more direct contrast to the spacey guitar riffs that run throughout the original recording. Where once was a drum set there now are shakers. 

Brother Oliver self-describe as a “psychedelic folk-rock” band. Though “Minimum Wage (Parlor Version)” is a low-key departure from what one would normally expect from their catalog, they don’t plan on unplugging for good.  “We’re not done making rock and our usually heady-psychedelic music,” says Andrew, “but this song was a nice reprieve from that.” 

Stream “Minimum Wage (Parlor Version)” below.