Midwerstern Gothic storybooks meet 80s rock opera in Brian Bacon's new album "Murder of Crows"

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Brian Bacon Murder of Crows
Brian Bacon

A creator to his core, Brian Bacon’s dressed up style of folk rock finds an almost miraculous balance between nostalgia and bold originality. At age 50, Brian left Cleveland, Ohio where he had lived for over 20 years raising daughters and moved into a tiny home in Nashville found on Airbnb to record an album with a producer he met on Instagram, the result was his second album, "Murder of Crows". 

Produced by Nick Bullock and performed by a band of professional studio musicians in Nashville, "Murder of Crows" is a ten-song road trip into a woodsy Midwestern Gothic storybook full of poetic character stories like something you would expect from a rock opera or modern musical. Listening to the whole album you'll have the feeling of being seated in the front row of a Broadway Musical, captured by the storytelling and the engaging rhythm. Its intricate arrangements of vocals, synths, guitars, strings and horns reminds me a lot of 80s pop/rock music that Brian has been able to mix with top-notch lyrics and a more modern sound. This is an album that is multifaceted in its originality: it could be used as theater soundtrack but is also radio-friendly, it could satisfy the most demanding music lovers and be accessible to everyone at the same time. A complete album in the classic sense!

The songs give voice to characters welling up from Brian's childhood in a small town on the northern fringe of The American Appalachian plateau – a region that was once a thriving industrial engine but in steady decline by the time he was a teenager; a place that was religious, insecure, sometimes dangerous and ultimately mistrustful of the influence and intrusion of the larger world. The first track "Keep the Lights On, Charlie" marks a sort of Overture that teleports you to that neighborhood, introducing the various characters like in a theater play. The next song "No Hero" is a very upbeat and danceable song with some sweet initial ballad lines, while in "Good Earth of Ours" guitars and chorus harmonies are the main characters, with a touch of modern country. "Murder of Crows" is probably the most cinematic song of the album, a crescendo of echoes with a goosebump-inducing result. Then, the album flows to "Where Has Bruce Been?" and "Andrew", a slow and sad anthem that perfectly highlights Brian's flawless and captivating vocals. As the title states, "Softly as I Go" is a soft and sweet rhythmic ballad followed by the upbeat "Nice Girl in the City". The album ends with "Kissing Me Deadly", with its evocative vocals, and "Get There In Time", whose catchy and accessible sound wonderfully puts the word "End" to the story told in his album, like a musical Finale. Everywhere to be found in "Murder of Crows" are surprising intersections between humor and tragedy, the commonplace and the mythical making it an experience that rewards frequent re-listening from start to finish. 

Brian Bacon is definitely one of the best discoveries I made this season, a must-listen. Be sure to follow his journey, because the album release will be followed by an 8-city tour in the Fall!

Brian Bacon Murder of Crows
Brian Bacon

Instagram: @brianbaconmusic

Spotify: Brian Bacon

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