Little Dynamite's Music Corner - Brett Dennen

Ever wonder what would happen if Tracy Chapman and Ben Harper had a kid? Well you can quit wondering because Brett Dennen is the answer. His androgynous, bluesy voice is about as comforting as you can find in music today, filling each song with a warm blanket of lyrics and soul. His most recent release, 2006's So Much More, is a powerful follow up to his fantastic self-titled debut album. On So Much More, Dennen stays true to his mellow but happy-go-lucky style as he drifts in and out of songs of subdued guitar and soft drums; a Jack Johnson-esque sound that Dennen truly makes his own.

I first heard of Dennen on a recent trip to visit my brother out in Denver. As we drove into the mountains to ski for the weekend, "Ain't No Reason" came on one of the mix cds, which caught my ear immediately. So Much More was my cd of choice at work this week and I couldn't get enough of his sound. From the baby-making tunes of "There Is So Much More" and "I Asked When" to the it's-good-to-be-alive sounds of "Darlin' Do Not Fear," "When You Feel It," and "Someday," Dennen covers your insides with a wide range of emotion that is sweeter than my grandmother's blueberry pancakes. Well, maybe not that sweet...

Just to give you a taste of the goodness that is Brett Dennen, here are a couple of sample tracks from So Much More. But make sure to visit Dennen's MySpace page for 2 streaming tracks from each of Brett Dennen and So Much More: "Blessed" is the defining track off Brett Dennen and "Desert Sunrise" is a perfect song for drinking lemonade on the porch on a quiet afternoon. "Ain't No Reason" and "She's Mine" will give you a good idea for the feel of So Much More. So without further ado, here are my two favorite tracks off the album.

Brett Dennen -
*There Is So Much More.mp3

Brett Dennen -
*Someday.mp3

What more can I say to convince you? Drop whatever you are doing and go buy So Much More. Seriously. Now.