Brennen Carsick

On December 15th, 2013, the first of hopefully many albums by Brennen Carsick, a musician from Southern Ontario, was released. This self-titled album includes four tracks that are jam-packed full of folk guitar riffs, strong indie vocals and ambient melodies. The poetic songwriting and creative energy that is apparent when listening to this album is heavily influenced by nostalgia and starts off on an upbeat foot.

The album starts with “Bright Size Life.” This is an energetic and quick paced song about packing up and leaving a negative situation, which gives a positive start to the album. This is the first time we hear the multi- vocal echo and it contributes perfectly to the positive movement of this first song. The climactic vocals paired with explorative folk guitar and the constant drum/clap beat make this song impossible not to bob your head to.

“My Knee’s” the second song on the album, slows down a little bit with simplistic yet still enchanting lyrics. The ambience in the background and the sudden silences before the catchy chorus repetition of “and my knees still shake to your heartbeat” add to the inspired feel of the track. All of the sounds fit together to create a perfect image of this emotional song.

The third track on the album, “Secret Friend” starts off with an ingenious and energetic folk riff, to pair with the strong and unique vocals, which are harsh in a perfect way. The group-like vocals create a beautiful contrast with the intricate and dynamic guitar that are sure to get this song stuck in your head.

The final song on the album “Where You’re Going” takes it down a couple notches after the upbeat song before it, slowing down into a calming and soothing opening. The delicate twinkling melodies leading into the drum beat and tambourine have such a strong impact on the song, creating a build up into the multi-layered vocals which end both the song and album on such a haunting note.

The album as a whole and the placement of the songs, portray the overall ups and downs that life can throw your way in a beautiful and bright manner. The tracks themselves are very diverse from each other and intricately arranged but are all still united through the strong vocal melodies and inventive and relatable lyrics. Brennen Carsick is definitely keeping it real by moving in this beautiful new music direction and this album brings the excitement of what he will come up with next!

You can find his band camp below, check out his album and add it to your collection, as it will certainly be perfect to listen to while relaxing on your holidays.

For Listeners of:
Bon Iver
Born Ruffians
Paper Lions
Tokyo Police Club
Neil Young - Mazie Bishop