Brett Ryan Stewart has a new album, Tilt, set to be released on February 28th, 2011 and I believe it is worth checking out. His style/genre is described as an "indie/pop sound peppered with a southern influence." (i would agree)
For me, this album was fun to explore & made for good energy... I found his writing to be very relatable & honest. I know he co-wrote some of the songs on the album so whatever chemistry they have, works! The following are some songs that stood out to me and what I liked about each:
I listened to the album a few times, paying attention to the lyrics first and then melody later-
Sunshine - I feel like we are all asking the questions in this song lately since winter won't seem to let up around here.... so you may hear me hummin this tune until I see some SUN!
The Bend - This song pretty much sums up what i've needed to say & do in a few of my past relationships (which is why sometimes i wish it wasn't cheesy to just play a song for someone when you feel like you can't express how you feel) I love the melody of this as well.
Godless - This one is a lil' rougher around the edges but that's why I like it. It hits more on a rock level than some of the other songs.
Next, I wanted to have Brett speak for himself so I asked him a few random questions and here is what he had to say:
1. If you could play any venue in the world, where would it be & why?
"I've never been one for giant stadium concerts, so where some might say Red Rocks....I would probably opt for a more quaint setting like Royal Albert Hall. Not that I would turn down an invite to Red Rocks."
2. Which grabs you first when hearing a new song - lyrics or melody?
"Being a sucker for melody, I'd have to say that's the first. BUT a great melody has to be backed up by substance in the words and most importantly, conviction & sincerity in the delivery. It doesn't have to be pretty to grab you. That's what I love about Bukowski. His writing is so gritty and usually vulgar but ya know what, it's real. I'll buy any story if it's honest."
3. What's something you love about making music & something you hate?
"I love the process and especially the sharing part. Sometimes both can be grueling but then sometimes you'll get into that zone. Time fades away and you lose yourself in the magic of it all. You're no longer the 'creator' per se, but a vehicle for something greater than yourself. That's the payoff."
"What do I hate about it? Well often times that, whatever it is, that's using you as a vehicle won't let you alone long enough to function like a normal human being. Your sleep will be interrupted, you'll miss your exit on the interstate or you'll just be flat out anti-social in the most inconvenient of times (like spacing out in the middle of an interview, for instance)."
4. How does your new album differ from what you may have done in the past?
"Without a doubt this album is more, for lack of a better word, uplifting. In the past I'd written from a place of tremendous angst. Not to say that this record lacks angst, but this time rather than having you drown in it, it becomes the fuel which propels you to a higher place. At least, that's my hope."
He added: "Now. All eccentricities aside, this is also the first record I've made in a while that I didn't record in my home studio. We worked at TrueTone with David Henry and it made all the difference having his expertise on the board. It's also my first truly collaborative effort since my last rock band. Between my collaborator Chris Tench, producer Tres Sasser, as well as some co-writes with Tami Hinesh, Will Webb and my friend Ketti Viohl, this has been such an exciting process! We all had such a great time and I think that comes through in the record."
So find out for yourself by taking a listen to Tilt and for more news, tunes, etc. check out his website here.
I want to thank Brett for letting me have an early listen to his new album and for contributing to the blog! I enjoyed this new music venture :)
Catch ya next week....
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