Especially in those times when the days are getting shorter, the warmth of the sun is harder to reach and gray clouds greet you in the morning, I tend to gravitate towards music that provides a kind of wholesomeness. The kind of music that makes you want to curl up under a blanket with a steaming cup of tea in your hand. The whole shebang.
I’m very happy to say that Brian John McBrearty, the artist we’re featuring here today, is a great purveyor of the warm and wholesome sounds teased in the title of this article. As evidenced by his latest album, Beginning Again, released in June 2022, McBrearty dabbles in the comforting realms of folky dream pop, jazzy psychedelia, and soundscapes of improvised textures and layers. On this album, he has gathered a myriad of interesting collaborators who have helped him build his sound. Today, we get a first glimpse of his new album, Remembering Repeating, in the form of its first single, “Repeating:
In some ways, “Repeating” expands on the foundation of Beginning Again – in other ways, you might be surprised how different this new song feels. The folk nature seemed to be just a translucent memory in the back of his mind, while the improvisational and free-flowing character of jazz is in the forefront. The way the songs build and add melodies and elements still feels very dreamy and psychedelic, but there is definitely a noticeable difference in Brian John McBrearty and his approach to his sound. As a jazz nut myself, I definitely welcome that: The world is always short of psychedelic jazz, no matter how much there is. I can only applaud the confidence with which McBrearty embraces these new sounds and weaves them into his identity – you can still tell that the artist is the same artist as before, but time has done its work, people have grown, artistry has progressed, the artist has reflected. In other words – good shit.
The personnel had also changed quite a bit. While his band was quite large on Beginning Again, Remembering Repeating features only two main collaborators besides McBrearty. Woodwinds were prominent on “Repeating” and continue to be so throughout the new album, and we have Matt Douglas to thank for that. With tons of experience from various projects around the globe, Douglas is best known as a member of long-running indie outfit the Mountain Goats, and his tasteful melodies, sometimes in the forefront, sometimes elegantly in the background, keep “Repeating” sounding fresh and sweet. On drums and percussion, McBrearty has teamed up with Ryan Jewell, who has worked with artists such as Brigid Mae Power and Eamon Fogarty. This trio does a tremendous job of filling out the sonic canvas of Remembering Repeating, with “Repeating” being the first glimpse of their great chemistry together – these guys definitely had fun.
Hit the play button on “Repeating” as many times as you like to whet your appetite – Brian Jon McBrearty‘s new album, Remembering Repeating, is out January 17 via Love Beyond Measure Records. For pre-orders, hit McBrearty’s Bandcamp page. To stay up to date, you can follow the artist on Instagram!
