From the first track of his newest album From Your Bones, the Chicago-based singer/songwriter Briar Rabbit takes listeners on a quick musical ride where lyrics and tracks are sometimes beautifully mismatched. Up-tempo, folksy and sugary in sound, “So Long” is about an ending, but only in the last few bars does the music slow down enough for listeners to realize it’s really a goodbye.
Though his self-dubbed “thought-pop” album has its highs and lows, Briar Rabbit really shines on “Invisible,” where he asks: “Why am I invisible when I’m not putting on a show? Why do I see myself through all these eyes? They’re not my own, no they’re not my own.” Another standout is “Gifted Girl Blues” where the complexity and darkness is less hidden. Anger is seeping in on “Bad Blood,” but it doesn’t feel as dark as it could – yet it’s lyrically impressive just the same.
Covering love, the pain of break-ups and coming face-to-face with one’s self, From Your Bones is an easy way to hear the truth (as unflattering as it may be) wrapped up in feel-good-at-first-listen tunes. But, with every play, one is sure to hear a little more than before.
Briar Rabbit- From Your Bones
- Chicago, IL
- (Self-released)
- Engineered and Mastered by Michael Hagler at Kingsize Sound Labs
- www.briarrabbit.net
