Introduced to the country music world with his Top 50 hit "Amy's Song," Brent Anderson somehow snuck up on the music world with 8 Track, an acoustic collection of songs which will be part of his full-length full-band studio release sometime in 2013. The release coincides with his opening slot on Jerrod Niemann's fall tour (which is sponsored by Jagermeister).
Signed to Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville, Brent Anderson is a unique for Nashville artist in that he has a soft soulful singer/songwriter vibe to his music and this is evident from the beginning of the EP with the bluesy "Pascagoula," a song which is an homage to his hometown in Mississippi. The soulful rasp of his voice also feels heavily Mississippi and it's a sound that serves him well as he runs through unique songs like "Jesus In Japanese" (the John Mayer-like mid-tempo ballad references a quirky girl's traits and the title references her tattoo).
"When She's Cryin'" is an emotional ballad while "I Could Use You" is a strong song that treads the same water as "Need You Now" and "Tomorrow" but manages to bring a different approach to the theme. "Higher Education" is a fun song about what Brent did (or didn't do) in college with a great line that says "You can lead a boy to college but you can't make him think." "Tongue Tied" finds Brent discussing how hard it can be to get up the courage to talk to someone you're infatuated with. It's melodic and certainly feels different than much of what you hear coming out on mainstream country radio (folk/country/pop) but there's nothing wrong with Different, as Brent proved with "Amy's Song," a song which borrows a couplet from Pure Prairie League's "Amie" in the chorus.
8 Track is a strong showcase of Brent Anderson's talent, it's a talent that finds the 24 year-old with plenty of room to make his mark in mainstream country music. He has a sound that can easily draw fans of singer/songwriter fare in addition to modern country music fans. In fact, presented here, 8 Track has as much in common with Brett Dennen, Howie Day, John Mayer and Jack Johnson as it does Blake Shelton, Zac Brown Band and Lady Antebellum.
Y'know, releasing 8 Track was a novel way to go about the introductory EP which is fast becoming commonplace in country music. Instead of just being 1/2 or part of a full-length record, it's a special release of those songs but in their raw, acoustic original nature and not in the more polished, radio-ready mold.
In a word: Refreshing.
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