In anticipation of his forthcoming LP, Fun Times in Sadland, Sean Bryant, aka Big Brutus, has unveiled the record’s final single “Calico.” As Big Brutus tracks go, you could call it stripped-down and restrained but there’s still plenty of gorgeous details to sort through if you take the time to look. Utilizing sparse piano and playful, upbeat guitar, Bryant offers a meditation on love that is passionate and full of longing. “And I’m a rose / Confined and disposed / To want you bad,” he concludes on the song’s ramshackle chorus, offering the listener a glimpse into the depths of his devotion.
It’s interesting, given the dire circumstances surrounding our current isolation, to hear a song plead for contact and the warmth of a lover’s embrace. Under normal circumstances it would be a lovely sentiment—poetic even. But set against the dark backdrop of coronavirus, it allows for something more: a gleam of optimism, a small peek at what can be waiting for us on the other side of the crisis. Whether or not that was Bryant’s intention is unclear; what is certain is his hope that “Calico” will serve as a ray of light, however big or small.
“My new song is out,” Bryant posted on Facebook. “I know there’s a lot of frustration in the world right now, so I just want to say I hope it brightens up someones day, and gives you some relief from the nonstop frustration of being alive in this day and age. I hope you check it out, and thank you for accepting all the weird twists and turns I make with music.”
Listen below.
Fun Times in Sadland is out this April.
More Info
Bandcamp: bigbrutusband.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @bigbrutusband
Instagram: @bigbrutusband
SoundCloud: @bigbrutusband
Twitter: @bigbrutusband