• Band / Artist : Brett Dennen – mySpace
• Genre : Folk Rock / Pop
• Sample Track Download : Ain’t No Reason
• Buy CD : CD Baby
• Buy Digital Download : iTunes
• Rating : 9.5 out of 10

Phenomenal is probably the most apt word that springs to mind, when I think of this album. From the opening few seconds, I knew this was going to be something quite special. There was also a little surprise for me, bit more of that in a bit.

I harp on, again and again about distinct vocals that engage and this was certainly the case with Brett. I read in a few places, that some people think his vocals have a very female sound, I disagree. Whilst his voice does have a certain softness to it, there’s also a real funky, almost reggae feel and that’s not just in the vocals, it’s also in the music itself, which balances on a line between Paul Simon and Bob Marley sung by Marc Bolan. Yes quite a combination, but it works oh, so well.

“Ain’t No Reason” opens the album and wow, the whole combination is just so mesmerizing. Lyrically there are many similarities to Bob Dylan in this and many of the other tracks on the CD. It’s not necessarily the content, but more in the phrasing and the rhythmic flow. “There Is So Much More” follows strongly and I can just sense while I’m typing this, that I’m coming across somewhat over enthusiastic, but I can’t help but get excited. Sometimes reviewing music is like watching the blazing trail of gunpowder and then finally you get the explosion, the 4th of July and Bonfire Night all rolled into one, musically speaking of course and this CD is that explosion.

“Darlin’ Do Not Fear” is where the Paul Simon influences surface and you get a fusion of calypso and that voice. Similarly “She’s Mine” shouts out like a homage to Bob Dylan. In fact it reminds me very strongly of the track “I Want You” I think it is.

And now we get to the surprise. Have you ever watched a TV commercial and heard a piece of music and thought “Wow that amazing”, only to forget it again? I did that when I saw an ad for Hilton Hotels. Imagine my surprise when listening to this album for the first time and the track “The One Who Loves You the Most” came on. Yes this track is the one used on the TV ad and here it was in all it’s glory. I can’t tell you enough how much I love that track. It’s an absolute sheer classic, killer of a track. Definitely my favorite track on the album.

Every song on this CD screams class. Every time I play it, I get that smug feeling of contentedness. An album well found.

Conclusion : Another member of the 9.5 club and deservedly so. With a swagger and confidence, this is a killer album and a must have in your collection. If Brett doesn’t explode all over the media, both old and new, I’d be extremely surprised.