By Jimmy Sears
Brett Young is a newer artist who recently raked in a “Number One” hit with “Sleep Without You.” Born and raised in California, Young was inspired by Gavin DeGraw. Young released a self-titled EP in 2007 and eventually made it in Tennesee. Now he releases another ambitious EP also titled “Brett Young” on February 10.
Young claims his sound is of the “California” persuasion, though admittedly it comes off as a typical country fair, with banjos and the poppy Toby Keith sound that’s common with modern country music. Maybe if one cuffs their ear a slight hint of Beach Boys could be heard, however this is more country than anything. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; my Yankee-roots love to embrace its southern surroundings by guzzling beer and listening to sentimental songs about relationships past, but as I listened I found most of the album redundant.
Many tracks, such as “Sleep Without You,” are about relationships, as the constant spouting of “baby” suggest. The melodies carry an optimistic flair to create a driven prose that masks its common themes. Young’s vocals also carry a light-hearted yet rugged sound that is each track’s strong point. However, while music itself is easy to hear, I find the constant relationship sentiment to be overplayed, which made each track sound similar to the last.
