My music taste can only accurately be described as eclectic and odd. I attribute a bit of this to the fact that I’ve remained loyal to Pandora Radio and its Music Genome Project since middle school. Never once have I strayed to the on demand charms of a site like Spotify. As a result, new-to-me music is always finding its way to me, and I am eternally grateful. But I couldn’t do it on Pandora alone. I attribute the other half of my off-the-beaten-path music taste to my parents. So shout out to Dad for batting this artist my way.
Brett Dennen, as I first discovered him, is a bit of a folk-inspired pop singer. He calls up thoughts of Jason Mraz or Jack Johnson. Dennen may have a bit more of twang to his music, but relates to the stylings of Mraz and Johnson through a distinct air of emotionally charged whimsy which can be delightfully refreshing in comparison to a lot of what’s going on in the musical scene. I’ve found that more than anything his music sets a creative tone, and it’s easy to see how Dennen could strive to achieve that sort of a sound.
Dennen has been an active musical artist since 2004, releasing six albums in that time, his latest of which, Por Favor, was released in May of 2016. But, in doing more research on Brett as a person who exists outside the realm of music, it can be found that he is the true definition of a renaissance man. Not only has he produced six profound albums, but he has been actively working on multiple painting projects and has developed his own wine label.
His rugged, beachy aesthetic could easily cause one to write Dennen off as a bit of an Insta-hipster, but that assumption is far from fitting the bill. Dennen’s artistic mission is crystal clear to both himself and his fans. He states as a part of his goal in creating his first and patronymicly self-titled album, that “I want to make people feel good about themselves and about life through the good and bad,” which fits right in with Dennen’s history as a peace activist through his association with The Mosaic Project.
As for specific track suggestions, a few of my favorite tracks are: “Comeback Kid”, “So Long Sweet Misery”, “The One Who Loves You The Most”, and “Ain’t No Reason.” But more than anything I suggest you look him up on your streaming program of choice and give everything a quick lesson. I’m still familiarizing myself with Por Favor as I write this, and I have yet to be disappointed. Happy listening!
