A frenetic mash-up of mad melodies, rollicking piano, trumpet and guitar fuzz, “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Madness,” effectively captures Nampa songwriter Aaron Brown’s downs and desperation, laying bare the fact he’s battled his own set of demons in recent years. Those trials included living somewhat homeless for about a year after water and mold damage displaced him and his family from their Nampa home. At one point, Brown also wrestled with panic attacks that led to “some kind of a breakdown.”

“I guess I hadn’t really learned how to deal with that in day to day life very well,” Brown told PLAY earlier this week, “so maybe the title of the album came from me sorting through my own issues of being a complicated person.”

There’s a beautiful delirium that permeates the new album’s 15 tracks, two of which appeared on the band’s self-titled EP, which helped the band secure a coveted slot opening for indie legends The Pixies back in 2005 and, subsequently, a spot on the cover of this publication (previously called “More”).

On “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Madness,” Brown, who studied classical and jazz music growing up, and his bandmates — Nate Hanson (guitar), Nathan Walker (bass) and Shawn McKinley (drums) — take a significant step forward from their previous guitar-driven offering, framing the “madness” gorgeously, swinging in jazz one moment, soaring atop Radiohead-esque guitar fuzz and flourishes the next.

“We’ve tried to focus our more recent songs on what it is that we do that other people don’t do and tried to hone in on that,” says Brown, who sings and plays guitar, piano, trumpet and other instruments on the album he co-produced with Grammy-winner and local DJ Art Hodge.

Brown’s vocals are impressive throughout and ache with perfect imperfection, not unlike that of Thom Yorke.

But don’t get caught up in comparisons. The band, whose members all proudly hail from Nampa, has forged a unique sound that sets them apart from other indie rockers that call the Treasure Valley home. That’s good, because Brown has his sights set high, with plans to play major cities and promote his songs to be used in movies, all without a heavy touring schedule. The track “Constancy,” from the band’s debut EP, has already landed on several short films, including the soundtrack for Stephen Baldwin’s “Livin’ It L.A.”

The Invasion may even eclipse their reputation as the Nampa band that opened for The Pixies, an experience they embraced but also an enormous shadow from under which it might have been difficult to emerge.

Now they have an excellent album, too.

“I don’t know if anything came from that show, but it was fun to play for 1,000 people,” Brown says. “We’re hopeful that this record release will sell out, too. I think 1,000 people is attainable.”

- Ben Fletcher, PLAY editor

(Visit www.the-invasion.com for more info) 

(Appeared in April 18, 2008 issue of PLAY Magazine)