Music Reviews: Brandon Harrod - "Wide Open Sun"

Remember when Iggy Pop went from "the worlds forgotten boy" and hooked up with Ziggy Stardust to record pop and funk songs on albums like The Idiot and Lust For Life? Remember how weird you thought it was that the godfather of punk was going in such a drastic different musical direction? But it WORKED! The same can be said of Brandon Harrod.

Harrod, who's the drummer for garage rock punks The Larroquettes, channels his inner Gordon Gano on his new solo album "Wide Open Sun" with it's acoustic singer/songwriter on acid tinged tunes. It's such a departure from his day job as the hard hitting drummer in a fuzzed out garage band. So when you hear songs like "Like My Dad Always Says" and "She Has Her Doubts" you can hear the punk rocker, with the speed and fierce playing. But you also hear a guy who can sing and write some really catchy and great songs at the same time.

When I first heard this album I was taken aback by it's vibe and sound. But the more you listen to it, you hear the beauty in the playing. On "Fire In My Belly" you can hear his angst and desperation to be accepted when he sings "I would rather give a shit than not be shit. But this fire in my belly still burns bright". I think we've all been there. Brandon Harrod sings songs for the everyday man. Insecure, trying to find out who we are, the fight to make a better life...these are songs we can all identify with. And that's what makes "Wide Open Sun" such an amazing record.

Harrod plays all the instruments on this album which is pretty awesome in itself. Then you throw in the fact that this guy's got more talent than most bands who get played on Top 40 radio have in their entire bodies. This guy's a force to be reckoned with. If you're a fan on bands like Violent Femmes, Brandon Harrod's solo work will fit perfectly beside "New Times". Just saying.

4 ½ / 5 stars