Before he was collaborating with Baily Crone in dream folk duo Mango Cat, Sean Bryant was conjuring his own plaintive magic as Big Brutus. Over the past half-decade, the singer-songwriter has made a name for himself with a rich, melody-first aesthetic that sounds as if Ed Sheeran grew up on a steady diet of Saddle Creek Records. On his latest single from the forthcoming A Pale Woman, Bryant strips away the expansive sounds of the group’s last LP Fun Times in Sadland and opts for a more restrained and delicate approach.
“Julia” is a steady slow burn with gossamer drawls of cello and dynamic percussion. As Bryant’s voice razes through the minor key verse, his characters blend apocalyptic scenery with the fear of intimacy: “Here is a palm to lay your palm in / I’ll paint the blood on the doorframe / It’s not where I thought I’d be when it ends / The ghosts throw parades for the living” It’s somber and spectral, with just enough stormy verve to keep you from sinking into the encroaching darkness.
Written primarily during lockdown, the songs on A Pale Woman describe haunted spaces and the need to move forward in the face of death. The LP is scheduled for release later this year.
Listen below.
More Info
Bandcamp: bigbrutusband.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @bigbrutusband
Instagram: @bigbrutusband
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Twitter: @bigbrutusband