Joel Brogon

Brogon wrote in to let us know about the context of this beautifully sung, sorrowful tune, which he says addresses folks whose partnerships didn’t weather the strain of the pandemic. We’re all tired of hearing about the “unprecedented times” but it’s true: the emotional toll of the last few years continues to reveal itself in surprising, sometimes devastating ways. “Where do we go from here, my faded love?” he croons on the chorus. The song is simple, leaving plenty of room for us to project our own memories onto it, which makes the sense of loss that much more palpable. - Country Queer - Christopher Treacy

Brogon’s turned in something mournful here, a plainly stated reflection of an emotional rock bottom. The song speaks for itself. IYKYK. - Country Queer - Christopher Treacy

Texas musician Joel Brogon plays your feelings as effectively as his guitar on his new EP Reunion: Songs of Family and Home. Brogon’s high, lilting voice and surefire melodies make his gentle folk meditations on home, belonging, and grief into lullabies for children of all ages. There’s an inherent sweetness to Brogon’s music that makes these songs feel like timeless common sense.
“Sleep (Grandma’s Lullaby)” is the touchstone of the album, weaving warm memories, nostalgia, the cycle of life, and facing one’s own mortality into a comforting reminder of the reality that awaits us all. By the time we got to “Grandma’s Hands” later in the album, I lost it. Brogon’s music is suffused with emotion, with pain and joy not just two sides of the same coin, but coexisting hand in hand, a reminder that all we can do is to immortalize our ancestors by passing along the wisdom they’ve given to us. - Adobe and Teardrops - Rachel Cholst

Refreshingly down to earth with plain-stated lyrics, Brogon’s music is about as organic as it gets. No pretenses, no digital monkeying around, just a guy and his guitar. The lack of production makes it stand out, which isn’t meant as a dig—it takes guts to do what Brogon does. “Down at the Old Homeplace” conjures a familiar feeling of bittersweet, youthful memories. Visiting places from our past can flood our mind with snapshots of time gone by. Brogon effectively puts across the resulting melancholy from this near-universal part of the human experience as he pines for his youth and what ‘home’ meant to him as a child. - Country Queer - Christopher Treacy

Most of the songs on Brogon’s new Unlock the Doors EP feature images of birds, flight, and freedom. “Little Warbler” finds Brogon channeling indie-John-Denver vibes, admiring an avian visitor, envious of the bird’s ability to fly away from our troubled world. A Texas-based organic baker who also dabbles in photography, Brogon’s appreciation for nature is touching enough to make you wonder if you’re caught up in things that just don’t matter. - Country Queer - Christopher Treacy

This down-to-earth, stripped-down track will have you yearning – and longing for more. Joel’s voice weaves delightfully with the guitar as he sings, “The simple answer is / There are no simple answers” – and we find ourselves nodding along in agreement. - Country Queer - Madeleine Tomasoa