BRETT DENNEN: So Much More

Brett Dennen

So Much More

© 2006 Brett Dennen (803020124028)

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Like Mark Twain with Pablo Neruda's guitar, Twyla Tharp's fingers, and Vincent Van Gogh's voice."

notes

"Brett Dennen is on my very short list of artists to watch. So Much More is a joyous dance . . . deliciously steeped in hope, faith and unconditional love." KCRW DJ, Chris Douridas

"Brett's music is a lyrical train hauling peace & love. I got on board last summer & won't be getting off . . ." itunes EP review

"A beautiful and spirited record. Instantly likeable" John Mayer quote

"The World Cafe embraced Brett Dennen's debut because it was not like any Singer Songwriter album around, ! It's music you feel as soon as you hear it. It's empotionally transparent . I can't wait to hear what he's up to next!" David Dye, World Cafe

Every now and then an artist emerges on the scene as if fully formed. The voice is distinct, immediate in its character. The songs feel like they truly belong to the singer. A level of self-possession animates the performances, delivers them right to your doorstep. Nothing feels forced . . . it just is. There’s an aura of inevitability that surrounds the emergence of such artists. With the release of So Much More, Brett Dennen joins the ranks of those who fit this description. Others? Joni Mitchell. Rufus Wainwright. James Taylor. Patty Griffin. Steve Earle. John Mayer. It’s a class of artists defined not by genre or by a level of success but by the character of their entrance. We open the door when they appear, and it’s as if we were expecting them. No doubt, none of them have wanted to be described in such weighty terms. But it’s not up to them. It’s up to those of us on the receiving end to pass such judgments and to celebrate the occasion. In this case, I’m happy to do so. Welcome, Brett Dennen. We’re glad you showed up. Come on in.

When I first heard Brett, I was caught in traffic with two crying children in the backseat, both of whom were desperate to escape their vehicular imprisonment. I had an advance CD of So Much More, popped it into the player, and was immediately in debt to Brett Dennen. The collective mood in that vehicle lifted. That was the first good sign. But as my passengers quieted down and our minds moved toward the music, I started to realize that something was happening. I got that rare and wonderful the-show-has-just-begun feeling, like I was hearing for the first time an artist who will be with me for a while. There’s a sense of promise, of a creative life to come, that hovers around So Much More, like you already know there’s going to be fireworks down the road. When I looked back at my older son, he asked, “Which Beatle is this?” He’s three years old, and if something sounds good to him, no matter the genre, he figures the Fab Four must be involved. It was his way of letting me know that it wasn’t just me, we were all having an experience.

Brett’s Dualtone debut has a bare bones aesthetic, underpinned by a kind of unassuming, elemental funk. His band, beautifully locked in and occasionally augmented by the likes of Keb Mo and multi-instrumental wizard Greg Leisz, manages to transmit a stunning range of textures without sacrificing the music’s open spaces. The first track, “Ain’t No Reason,” opens with only the sounds of Brett’s guitar and voice. Just the way it should. His guitar playing, a hybrid of fingerpicking and soul-inspired rhythm with shades of Robbie Robertson and Ry Cooder, is the center around which the band situates itself when it enters in the second verse. Brett’s vocal phrasing and lyric craft are as sophisticated as Beck’s best efforts without any kind of pretension weighing things down. By the chorus of that first song, the production moves into a sweetness that matches the song’s spirit and what is finally Brett’s spirit, too. If you get that far, I promise you will listen on. This is a singer so at home in his songs that he pulls you in there with him. So Much More is a collection of tunes that plays like a single. It unfolds so naturally, with such an organic feel to the song sequence, that we get to the end not because we decided to but because that’s where the first song led us. It unfolds, that is, like an intimate conversation.

Some of the key tastemakers at contemporary radio, KCRW in Los Angeles and WXPN’s World Café out of Philly, both latched onto Brett at the time of his self-released first recording. KCRW’s Chris Douridas put it thus: “Rarely does music come along so unadorned, so pure in spirit, and so eloquently written.” Brett’s songs came to them not through indie promoters but through word of mouth. It’s easy enough to imagine all the little rooms at radio that grew bigger when Brett’s music came through the air. Not knowing I was writing this bio, a friend of mine called after catching Brett play live. I didn’t let on that I already knew a little something about Brett. “Man, there’s a kid out there who travels around with his guitar, sometimes with a drummer, and he just kind of opens his mouth and . . . well . . . you should hear this kid.” It’s the kind of report that doesn’t tell you much. But the voices of those who carry the message, that’s the hook. Something’s up.

And something is indeed up. On the eve of So Much More’s release, Brett is opening shows for John Mayer and Sheryl Crow, has already played on the Dave Matthews Cruise Tour and on bills at Bonnaroo and Bumbershoot, and is selling out shows in towns where he’s playing for the first time. But Brett continues to operate like an itinerant, a man in the troubadour tradition, taking the gigs wherever they might be. Brett Dennen’s lineage leads back to characters like Jimmie Rodgers and Woody Guthrie, guys who were always hot to get out of town and always left with a guitar in tow. And, on some level, his writing and performing leads back to those same figures. He uses his God-given voice to sing the songs he’s got to sing. It just so happens that he has skills as a song craftsman that also bring him in the company of folks like Paul Simon, those who, simply put, create new traditions if the ones they need don’t yet exist.

“There is So Much More,” unabashedly beautiful, reflects Brett’s greatest gift as a songwriter, his ability to work with one foot in a tradition associated with social protest while the other foot is in the love song tradition. The effect is altogether convincing, leaving us with the sense that we have on our hands a performer for whom the personal is always political and the political is always personal. In an age in which we have grown weary of artists’ conveniently detachable political asides, it’s galvanizing to see an artist weaving together his emotional and political commitments. Brett’s work with the Mosaic Project underscores his commitment to the marriage of music and change.

Songs such as “Darling Do Not Fear” and “When You Feel It You Know” give us both a Brett Dennen in love with polyrhythms and the joyful noise of a band playing in and with the pocket. Throughout So Much More the pot over the musical fire remains big enough to throw most any ingredient in there. You can almost hear the band making this the object of their collective musical pleasure. Produced by Kevin McCormick, the recording features musicians who have previously played with everyone from Jackson Browne to Iggy Pop. Scott Thurston, a current member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Mario Calire of the Wallflowers and Ozomalti both join Brett. Percussionist Luis Conte, veteran of projects with artists from Arturo Sandoval to Queen Latifah, lights up the grooves across this disc. The result is the sound of people having the time of their lives playing great songs. To the listener, it’s infectious.

I’m not sure any label is interested in doing this, but with So Much More Dualtone would be safe issuing a money-back guarantee. This is a recording that is going to have people talking. This is an artist who will never get out there and sell himself, simply because he isn’t interested and, more importantly, he won’t need to. There’s no resisting the beautiful moment when a character like this comes walking toward us. Prepare to open your doors. This is the kind of guest we all hope for.

reviews

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  • so much more
    author: joanna nasset

    what can I possibly say that has not already been said so suberbly in these reviews? that this man touches your insides like a sultry night in New Orleans. rock on, Brett.

  • There is So Much More
    author: Grace

    This CD has many amazing songs and lyrics. His voice carries each one beautifully and they just flow together. But one song, There is So Much More just means so much. It is about 9/11 and his mother was killed in one of those plane crashes. It puts you in perspective and talks about 9/11 just how many of us feel. So if you have a free moment, listen to this song or read the lyrics...it is truely beautiful.

  • Really, really, ridiculously good sounding
    author: RED IV

    I first heard "ain't no reason" while watching the show "House." Although It's a great show, it is nowhere near worthy of featuring such a glorious masterpiece as this song. I was immediately captivated by his smooth voice and insightful lyrics. I loved the song so much that i googled every lyric in it to find it so I could put it on my zune. I eventually found this site, and I now plan on buying the so much more cd. To the people who gave this album a 4-star rating: You do not deserve to have your ears, and on an evolutioinary basis it would most likely be best for you to find a cliff and hurl yourself from it because you are obviously not fit to spread your ignorant offspring throughout this world of such talented musicians as Brett Dennen. I just wanted to say how much i love his music, and that he is the quintessence of what music should be. Kudos, Brett Dennen, Kudos.

  • keeps getting better and bretter!!!
    author: derek

    once in a great while a cd comes along that when you first hear it....you stop and listen. it pulls you in and keeps getting better and better the more you listen!!

  • Wow, Just Wow
    author: Wicked Playlist

    Every once in a while you hear a song or a new artist that stops you in your tracks. I heard Brett Dennen for the first time today and immediately wrote down his name so I could find him again. I actually stopped the playlist I was listening to and went to queue up his new CD, So Much More. The CD is really amazing, but I gotta admit, I can’t stop rewinding it every time “Ain’t No Reason” stops playing. I’ll get better acquainted with the rest of the CD in a few days.

  • A rejuvenating masterpiece
    author: Bret

    I love both the music and the lyrics. You don't have to listen very long before you realize that this was inspired by a very aware yet humble individual. Looking forward to seeing you in Portland, Maine

  • Really Enjoyable
    author: Kristi

    Heard a few songs on a local radio station and enjoyed them and definitely was not dissapointment when I got to listen to the entire cd.

  • Calming.... Wonderful.
    author: Lindsay

    I put it on my iPod as soon as I recieved it in the mail. It's hummable and fun to listen to! the guitar parts are great, and his voice turns it into something different and fresh. The songs differ in tempos and 'feels', which is great.. I enjoy this cd quite a bit!

  • Wonderful!
    author: Anna

    Amazing CD and fast delivery to Sweden! Im crazy about the CD and so is everybody I play it for. :O) Thank you!

  • 10 stars out of 5!
    author: Kathleen

    Incredible! I listen to it EVERYDAY, several times a day! Brett's lyrics are perfectly genius. Love, love love!

  • You can hit "previous" but never "next"
    author: Pam Hahn

    This is the best music I've listened to in a long time. I think it's the first CD I've ever had that I didn't hit NEXT at least once because I didn't like a song. I love them all - over and over and over again!

  • PUT IT ON TO FEEL BETTER
    author: Ray

    Do not hesitate to listen to this disc, the songs get better and better with each listen. All of the songs on So Much More remind me of why i love music in the first place -- music feels so good!!!!!

  • Interesting new talent (at least for me)
    author: jp

    Great voice, strong lyrics, looking forward to an opportunity to see him live

  • Great music and lyrics. Brett's no wanabee. He's here now.
    author: The Friction Fiction Podcast SHow

    I first heard Ain't No Reason on Will Brown's Cloudy Day Art podcast. Suddenly, I was listening to lyrics once again. 'I have a basketful of lemons and they all taste the same.' I got my free download, Slow Down, by registering on www.brettdennen.com.. That last verse 'brown bodies frozen in fields', made me buy So Much More on CD Baby because Brett has something big to say. It arrived from the US this morning. Track 2, There Is So much More has Paul Simon's African sound of She Moves On from Rhythm of the Saints. The lyrics are everything I'd hoped for: 'When I heard the news my heart fell on the floor I was on a plane to Baltimore In these troubled times hard enough as it is My soul has known a better time than this' And it keeps coming: 'I'd rather be stuck up in a tree than tied to it' There's always discomfort: 'Not comfortable with the way my shoes fit' It's probably the discomfort anyone would feel writing great songs that mean something, and seeing the massive marketing budgets fly straight past. The Paul Simon influence is in Darlin' Do Not Fear, but then Brett takes on something different again with tracks 4, 5 and 6, before hitting an ambitious Dylan note on I Asked When. Who's going to take Dylan on at his own game, and win? I searched on Producer Kevin McCormick. He worked with Jackson Browne. With When You Feel It, Paul Simon's African feel returns. It's down to the former Wallflower's drummer Mario Calire. His style here is pure Paul Simon African. So Long Sweet Misery, has a ringing Senegalese inspired guitar ostinato. On Someday, I was struck by great lyrics again: 'Born to a world where it's a fight to fit in From the cradle to the grave it never ends' The voice of the misfit, part Billie Holiday, Joe Jackson, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Speaking of fitting in, what does a great singer/songwriter with a voice as good as Brett's have to do to get the massive marketing budget of a major, and retain artistic control? I was getting interested about the musicians, and that's when I found that Brett's in the genre, World Folk, whatever that is. I'm a Baaba Maal, Ali Farke Toure fan, and a veteran of many UK WOMADs, but this never struck me as World anything. Maybe you have to invent a genre nowadays, but it's better to write a lot of good songs, record them beautifully, and find a great label. Dualtone know what they're doing. If Brett finds himself playing to fields full of sleepy middle-class families at WOMADs this summer, he can always drop the World Music, and fall back on that protest folkiness. It leaves a lot of doors open. But most of all, he certainly sings of suffering.

  • Amazing
    author: Justin

    I had only heard a few tracks off of this CD before I decided to buy it. It was totally worth it! I love every track on this disc. It's been a while since I bought a CD that I could listen to entirely through without skipping songs. I can listen to this album over and over again, I look forward to hearing more in the future! A must have!

  • Wondeful
    author: Alex Rogers

    One of the few CDs I own that I can listen to every song all the way through without getting bored. Amazing lyrics, beautiful singing, and some insanely catchy guitar lines.

  • Yet Another Rave Review by a Huge Fan!
    author: DH-L

    My favorite song is "She's Mine," but I love them all! I have been listening to this CD non-stop since I got it, and it never gets old. There are so many layers, in the music and the lyrics. Brett's voice is cool, and his song-writing is amazing. I've been thinking about who I could compare him to, but he really stands alone. My husband may be the toughest critic out there, and he says he's impressed, so trust me, "So Much More" is great!

  • author: Smart

    Absolutly astonishing piece of work.Warm heartfelt and genuine.I thought the days of such excellent songwriting were long gone.Brett Dennen is an exceptional talent.

  • the cd i've been looking for!!!
    author: nate

    Such a refreshing album. Some of the best songs so far, you will sing along and not even realize it...

  • Excellent work Brett
    author: Thomas

    My wife and I love this c.d. almost as much as the first one! Just want to share it with everyone.

  • so yummy.
    author: two thumbs don

    amazing blend of simon and dylan type story telling. fun for the whole family.

  • An inspiring record from an old friend
    author: Sarah

    Love you, Brett. Keep up the great work. This CD is really beautiful and moving. I'd love a few more upbeat tracks on the next one but the slower songs are great as well. Can't wait to see you in SF in March!

  • Such a good album
    author: Kale

    So Much More is tight - I've probly listened to it in my car at least 10 times by now. It really is a great mix of sorta up-beat feel-good music and slower deeper stuff from Brett. Great CD from a great artist

  • Beautiful
    author: Susan

    Incredible, touching, moving, tells it like it is, beautiful. He is an amazing artist. Love your music Brett, it is REAL and obviously comes straight from the heart.

  • author: amybuckley7

    Best new music i've heard in years. Great musician. Insipiring!

  • This CD goes well with a fine red wine.
    author: Mike Bacon

    If you're a Canadian, you may have been haunted by a song "The One Who Loves You the Most" from a cable tv ad. I certainly was and I couldn't rest until I found this cd. Not only did I get my fix of the song I couldn't stop humming, I discovered a cd that goes well with a glass of fine red wine at the end of the day. This is no background music cd, you will listen to every word of every song of Brett's genuine and unique voice and style.

  • Headed for the stars...
    author: Greatest Atlanta Fan

    If you don't know about Brett Dennen then you're already far behind get this CD and the previous CD to see what you've been missing in your musical collection. Rarely, if ever in this day in time do we find an artist of this magnitude.

  • author: Melody

    This CD is impressive: in sound, in lyrics, in meaning, in heart. I am very impressed with this artist and look forward to hearing more from him!

  • Unbelievable!!!!
    author: Linda

    This CD is wonderful!!!! It's hard to pick one song as a favorite because they're all great! I can't stop listening to it- at home or in the car- I don't think I've listened to anything else since this came in the mail. Definitely a MUST HAVE!!!!

  • This Kid has IT ALL!
    author: Trevor Denault

    Brett Dennen is probably the most compelling singer/songwriter I have heard in years! Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper - he is in thier league or better! Wonderful tones in his voice, very very mature writing style, the words, the feel, you can feel his emotions and feelings in every song...Do yourself a favour by his CD and listen to it over and over! You might learn a few things about life.

  • pure, simple goodness
    author: heather

    So Much Moore is such a wonderful experience. Any connoisseur of great music will find this collection golden. Brett Dennen's voice is beautiful and transcendent and his lyrics are both expressive and entertaining. I love this CD... it truly is pure, simple goodness.

  • A truely revolutional cd
    author: Colleen Hannon

    This revolutional cd is inspirational, thought provoking, and a treasure to behold.

  • Wonderful new voice
    author: CT

    Sometimes it seems like he is channeling Paul Simon but that is just me. Brett has his own voice and style. It's refreshing, invigorating, and encouraging to those of us of a generation hoping, wishing for a new voice.

  • Heard him interviewed on Boston's Public Radio. Wow
    author: Kathy Hague

    I heard Brett Dennen interviewed on Boston's public radio staion WGBH yesterday...and immediately put "So Much More" on my Christmas wish list. In fact, I like it so much I plan to order some CDs as gifts myself! What a beautiful, soulful, hypnotic gift of a voice.

  • Love hie voice
    author: Chris

    Hey folks! I am hooked to this voice eversince i heard it a few weeks ago on pandora.com (great site to explore new music , but misses a link to cd-baby by the way) i desperatly hope he comes on a european tour soon. If you read this Brett consider to play some festivals round europe next summer! i will be there to see you ! You`d make me very happy, thx yours chris of Kassel, Germany

  • Awesome
    author: Jenn

    This CD is all that expected and more! Good Work!

  • Amazing
    author: Sarah

    This is my favorite CD I've bought in a long time. Every single track is of high quality, and there's a lot of diversity between the tracks musically, as well as the subject matter. Dennen has an amazing voice, and I would describe him musically as a cross between Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, and Jack Johnson...probably hard to imagine, but beautiful all around. Buy this CD!

  • don't hurt a bit
    author: duane duckworth

    this is like rap music with a melody. it's got heart and soul. it's honest and it don't hurt a bit.

  • this cd is great
    author: ethun

    great voice, great music. it's just really great.

  • This great CD does not disappoint
    author: Ann, UK

    I had never heard of Brett Dennen until July 2006. This CD is the equal of his previous one, Brett Dennen. The lyrics, the voice, the rythms, the music all contribute to an uplifting experience. Put this CD on in the car and you will be guaranteed a better drive!

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