Vancouver-based musician Pennan Brae recently traveled 6000 kilometres from coast to coast to record his album, "Shaded Joy." Recorded at A Major Sound studio in Malpeque, Prince Edward Island, Pennan is excited about the release and can't wait to take his music on the road.
Recently, Pennan Brae stayed put long enough to share personal stories and insight into the creation of his album "Shaded Joy."
Pennan Brae's Musical Influences
Pennan is a singer, pianist, and harmonica player who plays guitar and bass, as well. For those who haven't heard Pennan's music, it's a subtle fusion of rock, light rock, and acoustic melodies. Pennan thoughtfully sums up his music, "We keep the songs melodic, with a fun harmonic structure beneath and a solid, tight beat throughout."
When describing his musical influences, Pennan gets animated. "Well, it starts with the blues first and foremost. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James. There's something essential and foundational in that music. It cools you out and sets you straight. After that it's a chronology of 50s rock, with brilliant writing from Buddy Holly & Eddie Cochrane, the 60s a la the Beatles, Stones, Dylan. The 70s with Steve Miller, Springsteen, Mellencamp."
With well-placed harmonicas and irresistible piano undertones, Pennan successfully blends his musical influences into a unique, well-rounded sound.
It's obvious from Pennan's passion for the musical greats that music is integral to him. "Oh, music is vital. It calms you down and brings you up. And it can offer some extra support and inspiration when you need it. I think art generally, be it painting, drama, fashion or literature is vital to the soul's growth and nurturing. It softens us up, makes us creative, keeps us understanding."
"Besides," he grins, "music is fun to dance to!"
"Shaded Joy" Album
There are seven songs on his recently released EP. The song lyrics span diverse topics, but they are unified by a central musical theme: shaded joy.
Pennan Brae opened up about each song's inspiration:
- "Anyways" refers to a girl in high school;
- "Have You Ever Been" considers that we're never alone, and we can relate to what others are experiencing;
- "Pathways" deals with reuniting with someone that you haven't seen in a long time;
- "Won't You Spend The Night With Me" is self-explanatory;
- "The Forgotten Man" is about a man losing his wife to Alzheimer's disease;
- "Blind Love" is when you're just too oblivious to note the obvious; and
- "Something's Missing" touches on what we might be missing in life.
Pennan's inspiration for the album title itself came from a trip to Thailand. "I saw this lone tree in a field in rural Thailand. There was nothing about; just this lone, solitary tree. It looked like it had been there for a while, as in hundreds of years. I wondered if at one time it had a bunch of other friends--as in trees. I'm sure it did."
"But the tree looked impressive and romantic; kind of indignant that it was not going to move from this spot, even though everything else had been cleared around it. Then, add a person strumming a guitar under the shade of it and what do you have? Shaded Joy!"
Musician Pennan Brae Looks Toward the Future
Pennan Brae, as always, is looking toward the future. In fact, he's already working toward recording his next EP.
But Pennan doesn't take his successes for granted. Nor does he forget how fortunate he is to be living in the now. "We're so fortunate to live in an era where music is so easily broadcast," he says. "Imagine centuries past! You'd have to get to a symphony hall somewhere to hear the latest Bach or Beethoven."
Thankfully, if you'd like to read more about what Pennan is up to or would like to purchase his album "Shaded Joy", you don't have to travel as far as the days of yore. Just visit Pennan's site.
In the words of Pennan Brae, "Life without music would be like TV without colour...and sound for that matter! Keep your ear to the ground!"
