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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 20:12:10 |
On the heels of being named a Rolling Stone 2008 "Artist to Watch," the commercial success of his new single "Make You Crazy" (featuring Afrobeat extraordinaire, Nigerian Femi Kuti) and even an upcoming music video starring Hollywood starlet, Mandy Moore, Brett Dennen remains as focused as ever. His third full-length album, Hope for the Hopeless (due for release Oct. 21), is a dedicated study of traditional folk rhythms, backed by modest, light lyricism and steely, African-influenced percussion.
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(Photo courtesy of www.county29.net)
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"I think the songwriting is a little more focused," Dennen said. "I think it's more direct than some of the songs I wrote in the past. I put a lot of my life experiences and a lot of the things I've seen into the songs."
A former camp counselor from north California, Dennen's songwriting is smooth and soothing, if not borderline lovelorn, delivering a romanticism akin to a quick summer camp fling, like in the track "Closer to You:" "Like a ham dog in a junkyard, howling at the moon/ Like a pirate at a pawn shop with a pocketful of jewels/ I'm closer to you." Dennen's melodic world spins with bliss and optimism at some moments ("Heaven" and "Follow Your Heart"), before bending to bittersweet cynicism and inner-city realism ("You're Wrong About Me" and "Who Do You Think You Are") that douse the acoustic campfire of love and lust.
"It's not really like a pop album," Dennen said. "I wanted to make a record with a bit of a heavier groove and a little bit more of a clean sound, just to give it a more broad appeal."
Recognition from Rolling Stone, NPR, USA Today and The Washington Post, as well as appearances on Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel, has helped Dennen's commercial appeal grow. And opening stints with heavy-hitting contemporary artists such as John Mayer and Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela have further catapulted Dennen's touring value. The new music video, which features the typically bare-footed Dennen selling shoes to the demure Moore, is scheduled for release around the time of the new album.
"I feel like with the recognition I've gotten in the past couple of years, I think it's just catching up to the work that I've been doing for so long," Dennen said. "So I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing because that's what I've gotten the recognition for."
Dennen will headline an acoustic set Nov. 10 at the Walnut Room in Denver.
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