Singer/songwriter Kevin Devine’s fifth album is ambitious, sprawling, and often brilliant. Devine is a born storyteller with emotional, poetic, and political lyrics and a lot to say; some of the songs have so many words they could qualify as short stories, which is essentially what they are. Brother’s Blood is impressively diverse. “All of Everything, Erased” and “It’s Only Your Life” feature quiet finger-picked guitar and dark, moody melodies. “Carnival” picks up speed as it goes and ends up in quirky Modest Mouse-like territory. “I Could Be With Anyone” veers towards power pop, “Hand of God” and “Murphy’s Song” are solid folk-rock, and “Another Bag of Bones” and the eight-minute title track include noisy guitars and frantic vocals. Backed by an excellent five-piece band, the album is a great mix of recorded-live-in-the-studio feel and just the right amount of studio love. Brother’s Blood is a consistently rewarding and moving release and may be the best yet from the talented Devine.