Written by Matt DeBenedetti
Brandon Broderick is a phenomenal musician, songwriter, and lyricist.
I was so shocked to hear this album front to back, and then read into it and find out that he recorded all of the vocals, guitar, and even percussion himself. I was also surprised to find out that Broderick is a New Jersey native, as his newest release, Twelve by Twelve, could have been recorded and release straight out of Blackbird Studio in Nashville.
Personally, I am not one who tends to listen to country or bluegrass, but there is something so lyrically powerful about Broderick’s work that it is hard not to appreciate it. Everyone song is poetic and emotional, showing how daring he is and how he won’t hesitate to give listeners an honest sound.
The first track that immediately drew me in was “Honey.” It is short, and like honey, sweet. The way Brandon manages to capture a feeling with just a vocal, acoustic guitar, and tambourine is extremely impressive, and he should take a lot of pride in that fact. There a lot of musicians that hide behind their music, Brandon does the opposite of that by standing tall along side of it.
There is an underlying theme throughout the length of this record, that seems to focus on redemption, struggling with faith, and moving on, which is displayed on my favorite track, “Blame It On Youth.” Musically, the song is so well put together from a structural standpoint. And lyrically, it is just beautiful- and also extremely relatable. That’s the thing about this music, when a listener can relate to all of the words in a song so easily, they have no choice but to enjoy it.
Twelve by Twelve is a great listen front to back, from sitting around a campfire with friends, or being alone in your room after getting dumped. Brandon states in his opening track, “Told you once, I’ve told you twice, never listen to advice.” Well do yourself a favor and take my advice: you have the blues, listen to this very well out together album by Brandon Broderick, and let him shake those blues for you.
