Brandon Anderson • I'll Keep Driving

Singer/songwriter Brandon Anderson has a new video, and it is special. It features the song "I'll Keep Driving", off his 2012 album 'Guitars & Grievances". The song beautifully captures the spirit of a young man looking to find his way on the journey we call life. We all fight battles along the way, struggle with our place in the world, and the lives we encounter, and how it all affects our own life. Enjoy the video.

Such an amazing song, off a great album. You can purchase 'Guitars & Grievances'  on iTunes, Bandcamp, CD Baby, and Amazon. To learn more about Brandon Anderson, visit his official website.

Brandon Anderson • Wake Up

Just last month, singer/songwriter Brandon Anderson released a new album, Guitars & Grievances. With the new album came a new music video for the first single, Wake Up! The song is a strong one, with a driving tribal beat giving root to the strident message of some of the issues plaguing the society all Americans inhabit. The video supports the message with stark shots of Anderson performing, as well as other imagery taken from American Pop Culture of the last 50 years. Check out Wake Up!



Guitars & Grievances is a 10-song collection with a wonderful balance of classic Folk traditions and the voice and message permeating the world today. The songs were written while Anderson was on the road performing, and inspired by that journey. It captures the people he came across, their lives, and the life being lived by the singer/songwriter tuning in to the world around him that at times seems to not return the favor, and to tune into him. from the desperate reach of Sinking Slowly to the tender touch of So Much For Love, the album is constantly touching your heart, just in different ways, with both a soft stroke and a firm clench. Brandon is certainly connected to the material, and communicates is so well.



I have to say, this was an unexpected journey, but one I can say I thoroughly loved. You can purchase Wake Up and Guitars & Grievances on Bandcamp here. You can also find it on iTunes and on Amazon. You can also learn more about Brandon Anderson on his official website here.

Brandon Anderson Releases Of The Free

Out singer/songwriter Brandon Anderson wrote Of The Free in response to the wave a non-equality laws that were be bandied about over the past few years, including California's Prop 8. While it may be thought to have political overtones, above all else it is a highly personal and poignant look at thinks from the perspective of a gay man, being told he isn't enough, isn't right, and, in fact, never will be. These new laws are saying we aren't worthy to get the same rights as others. How does this make you feel? Well, let Brandon tell you here.




Soon as I heard it, I went directly to iTunes and purchased it. I wanted to have it on my iPod. The piano-driven track was produced by Mark Marshall (Abby Ahmad, Jenna Torres, Bob Lewis, among others) at Smartass Studios. The recording features the talents of Grammy Award winner Michael Leonhart (Steely Dan, Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Merchant, and countless others) on horns. You can purchase the single on iTunes here. You can find out more about Brandon on his official website here. To check out my review of his last release, check out my post here.

New Music - Brandon Anderson

Over time, I've been lucky enough to make some good friends via this blog, some of whom represent some very talented artists I might not have been able to get to hear otherwise. One such person is Markus Payne, who represents some artists I really love, Tom Goss and Stewart Lewis, as well as new-found favorite, Dudley Saunders. Just recently, he brought another new artist to my attention, Brandon Anderson. Like the others, Brandon is an LGBT artist making music with no corporate support. So I was more than happy to give a listen to Anderson's new EP, Space.



Brandon Anderson is a handsome man who makes his home in New York City, where he has been playing the top clubs, like The Bitter End, Caffe Vivaldi, Googies Lounge above the Living Room. Originally, he hails from Kenosha, Wisconsin. Oddly enough, he is the second singer/songwriter from there, as I think Tom Goss also called Kenosha home. Anderson's sound ranges from Pop with a bit of rock, to strong folk. His sound reminds me of Ben Folds, with a touch of Joni Mitchell thrown in to mix it up a bit. He is working on a full album due out later this year.



The EP is a five-track offering, opening and closing with different version of the title track, Space. The first is the studio version, and features guest vocals from Rachel Epp. The song is a searching, highly personal song with a beautiful melody. Lyrically, is is a haunting song, talking about loneliness. Check it out here.




The second cut is Lakeside, another piano-driven song that gives a feeling of reminiscing, of loves lost and reaching out to find it once more. On Space, Anderson is responsible for all the songs, and instrumentation as well as the vocals, save Epp's guest shot. Lakeside features a beautifully layered chorus where Anderson sings along with himself, to a gorgeous effect. This is followed by the rather sparse opening on Give And Take. The song is a story of a relationship, and how the scales don't always balance equally. The fourth cut i This One's For You, The first song to deviate from the piano-based collection. With guitar accompaniment, the song has a strong acoustic folk feel, a coffeehouse love song. You can listen to it here.




The final offering on the EP is a live version of the title song. It is a much simpler arrangement, giving a more intimate feeling to the song. For more about Brandon Anderson, check his official website here. You can listen to more music, as well as check out some performance videos. If you like what you hear, you can purchase the Space EP on iTunes here, for just under $5.