bri-an - Fading Ballerina

Hear The Track Here

Those readers with sharp minds and good recall (Ed: we have those???) will remember we have come across bri-an recently when I got embroiled in a swamp by getting him mixed up with Self Tort (who calls himself bri-an in forums). I escaped public humiliation on by pleading my advanced age and forgetfulness as if that would ever put my off my stride. Now, where were we? Dazed's Desperate Man (January 2010) was a collaboration with the said bri-an where he supplied a very nice set of drums, keyboards and a memorable Martin guitar sound that became one of the many highlights of that track. So, despite the castigation and public flogging (which I actually quite liked but that's another story) I live to write another day. And lo, here is a track featuring bri-an having a 'full out "jam" session with myself' which kinda absolves me in the liking the public flogging bit because that's just too weird. 'I left all the mistake intact!!' he trumpets in the song comments as if this were some Unique Selling Point (Ed: Adspeak!! Die viper!!)

Me, I pondered on because bri-an might just be serious. There again, one mans mistakes are another mans classic musical moments, know what I mean?. Sure, I'll tender that there is a considerable looseness about the track but even that minor, minor flaw adds to the overall effect of the track. Above all, this tracks rocks in the time honoured fashion, a great drum sound, chunky, meaty slices of guitar and bass and a vocal that sounds surprisingly English. Considering that bri-an is Canadian, its amazing how close he has come to a standard English sound both instrumentally and performance. Certainly without the cavaet bri-an supplied I might have been harsher on the track for some of its sonic roughness but can't fault the musicianship or the energy.

Funny thing is, despite the lapse, I have been aware of bri-an for a good while but never really encountered him musically unless it was on the radio (Mix Radio, seeing as you axed) or on the various websites we frequent. The two tracks I have now heard officially (as it were) convinced me that he's a man after me own heart because I do like a good, solid rocker. He's no slouch in the production department either because each element of the track (but especially the drums) was as wide as an ocean and twice as deep. hence that certain roughness of sound. The reason is because bri-an used only EQ to bring out the various tones and nuances of each instrument. For sure compression would have tightened that all up but it would - I suspect - have lost its immediate appeal.

Chunky LOUD rock. Bite down hard. Highly Recommended for energy levels.