2008 Woodie Awards
A symphony hall worth of sound: a review of Bendan James
Joe Boschini
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
If you have been in a musical rut lately, go to iTunes and download Brendan James, a New York City resident with a degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. He contains a voice with the elegance of James Blunt and the instrumental and lyrical talent of Five For Fighting. His debut EP, The Ballroom Break, is an outstanding four songs that showcase this young man's immense talent.
He begins the EP with "All I Can See." The song begins with a piano solo that sounds as if it is straight out of a symphony hall. From there the songs builds, starting with only James' magnificent voice and then slowly adding drums, cello and bass guitar. The lyrics read like a "things I want to do before I die" list. There is nothing about how much his life sucks or how a girl broke his heart which is nice considering the genre. The only critique is that it carries on for a verse too long. The final chorus is powerful and a perfect closing. However, he decides to add 30 seconds onto the song and it feels out of place.
Track number two is called "Hero's Song," a tribute to those who have fallen in the Iraq war. It is from the point of view of a solider who is fighting on the front lines. Its lyrics are chilling, and the music compliments the somber story. The song isn't political in nature but instead is a window into the hell that is combat.
"The Other Side," track three, is the proverbial black sheep of the four. It begins with renaissance-style humming and then transfers into James Taylor for the 21st century. It's considerably more upbeat then the rest of the album but its lyrics talk about a childhood void of a father figure. There are odd jam sessions in between verses and there is virtually no structure to the song. It is well-done and entertaining and is completely opposed to the rest of the EP.
The EP is wrapped up with "Let Your Beat Go On." James manages to save the best for last with this inspiring track that speaks of hope, unity and love. There is nothing but his voice and the piano. It is a song of raw emotion and it has a message that all should live by.
James is the next in a long line of piano-playing twenty-somethings with professionally-trained voices. There is nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking about James' music, but that's not important. He is a very talented pianist and his lyrics feel more like poetry than simple filler. He understands the value of simplicity and that having too many instruments can be detrimental to a record. He has worked to get where he is and it shows in his EP Brendan James is going to make a name for himself sooner rather than later and it won't be long before everyone knows who he is.
He begins the EP with "All I Can See." The song begins with a piano solo that sounds as if it is straight out of a symphony hall. From there the songs builds, starting with only James' magnificent voice and then slowly adding drums, cello and bass guitar. The lyrics read like a "things I want to do before I die" list. There is nothing about how much his life sucks or how a girl broke his heart which is nice considering the genre. The only critique is that it carries on for a verse too long. The final chorus is powerful and a perfect closing. However, he decides to add 30 seconds onto the song and it feels out of place.
Track number two is called "Hero's Song," a tribute to those who have fallen in the Iraq war. It is from the point of view of a solider who is fighting on the front lines. Its lyrics are chilling, and the music compliments the somber story. The song isn't political in nature but instead is a window into the hell that is combat.
"The Other Side," track three, is the proverbial black sheep of the four. It begins with renaissance-style humming and then transfers into James Taylor for the 21st century. It's considerably more upbeat then the rest of the album but its lyrics talk about a childhood void of a father figure. There are odd jam sessions in between verses and there is virtually no structure to the song. It is well-done and entertaining and is completely opposed to the rest of the EP.
The EP is wrapped up with "Let Your Beat Go On." James manages to save the best for last with this inspiring track that speaks of hope, unity and love. There is nothing but his voice and the piano. It is a song of raw emotion and it has a message that all should live by.
James is the next in a long line of piano-playing twenty-somethings with professionally-trained voices. There is nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking about James' music, but that's not important. He is a very talented pianist and his lyrics feel more like poetry than simple filler. He understands the value of simplicity and that having too many instruments can be detrimental to a record. He has worked to get where he is and it shows in his EP Brendan James is going to make a name for himself sooner rather than later and it won't be long before everyone knows who he is.
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