Loverboy

Stereotype-free Brett Dennen

Thirty-one year old guitarist, singer and songwriter Brett Dennen is one of the most interesting personalities on the contemporary American folk/pop scene. His fire-red hair, high vocals often passing to enjoyable falsetto and beautiful complicated tunes always leave the strongest impressions although there is nothing especially sensational in Dennen’s creative work. The musician’s image can be characterized as ‘stereotype-free’ for he pays practically no attention to his look, often performing barefoot, and this image is most probably the direct continuation of his music. Although Brett writes different songs, both sad and joyful, it is always extremely clear what he wants to say in this or that case – he is never ironic in his lyrics reflecting on the world expressing honestly his concerns, fears and hopes. Making love confessions the artist is very modest and romantic, and his fun is always very sincere. All that said he cannot be called self-conscious or insecure: Brett Dennen is well-known for his open behavior on stage, always leaving the audience in delight at his concerts or performing at various festivals. His eponymous debut album was released in 2004, and he has recorded more than one hit since then. This spring he presents us with his fourth record Loverboy, undoubtedly, one of the best in his discography.

Love adventures on Loverboy

If Brett Dennen’s previous albums mostly offered slow lyrical songs, Loverboy immediately demonstrates the artist’s eagerness to simply enjoy little life trifles, the surrounding world, to joke and be surprised. The main thing, however, is that the significant portion of tracks tells about his love adventures which is reflected in the album’s title. The disc opens with a very contagious and light composition Surprise, Surprise, full of hope and understanding of life, and its atmosphere continues on marry careless tracks Dancing at a Funeral and Comeback Kid (That's My Dog). A more tranquil and measured song Frozen in Slow Motion is much closer to what Brett’s fans are used to hear from him: love, metaphors, guitar, fiddles, keyboards and slight drums. That is rather an exception, however. Almost a danceable track Sydney (I'll Come Running) is addressed to a girl named Sydney and built on a stunning bass line and refined with amazing backing vocals, it is one of the most emotional and positive numbers on the record. Synthesizer, guitar and melodious vocals are painting beautiful landscapes on Only Rain, whereas some picturesque and very warm reggae shades appear on Can't Stop Thinking making a pleasant surprise for all who is only used to the melancholic Brett Dennen. The splendid composition Must Be Losing My Mind consists of amazing bass drums, contrasting with the singer’s almost female falsetto, while Queen of the Westside proves to be the most complicated on the album, reminding of the late The Beatles, Macy Gray and Lenny Kravitz. The album closes with the most vulnerable but far from desperate number Walk Away, Watch Me Burn, in which country and folk elements can be found.

A true creative personality

Loverboy’s thirteen tracks last for almost an hour and it is not the first time that they manage to unveil many of this sincere young man’s positive sides. His charisma and high vocals certainly play an important part but it is his sincerity, the confident courage of self-expression that are more relevant. The reflective smoothing music of Brett Dennen’s previous works is substituted for strong emotions and humor. The slow guitar arpeggios have given way to powerful acoustic riffs, active drums, playful fiddles and dancing keys. Now that Brett has so much of love lyrics in his arsenal he can hardly avoid comparisons to another red-haired lady-killer named Simply Red. Anyways, the Californian nugget is still going forward, his music keeps evolving all the time, and the album Loverboy is really surprising and even impressive at some points. Now, it is especially interesting which step Brett Dennen is going to make next for he is a true creative personality, indeed, and that stands for ‘unpredictable’ in a better sense of the word.