On his latest album, Brett develops a
bigger sound and perhaps pays too much attention to outdoing
himself and not just making good music. Despite the overproduction
and overly sappy lyrics,
Hope for the Hopeless
might be one of the best albums of the year.
When you listen to Brett Dennen you can't
help but get drawn in. His voice is warm and soothing —
perfect for the blend of folk and world music that he does
so well. Being compared to artists like Jack Johnson, Dave
Matthews and Tracy Chapman is daunting for any artist, but
the comparison is accurate.
Hope
for the Hopeless starts out strong with "San Francisco."
It has a great bouncy and bluesy riff to propel it. Lyrically,
he identifies the city with his yearning for a lost love,
using the happenings of the city as a metaphor for the relationship.
Next up he does a duet with the great
Femi Kuti called "Make you Crazy." This is a really nice
mix of the two vocalists and their styles. These songs work
so well together because of the singers respect for each
other. They never get in each other's way. Every chord and
note fits perfectly. In "Heaven," Brett sings "What the
hell is heaven… is there hope for the hopeless?" He is always
trying to reach everyone with his poetic prose and it works
on this song. It just doesn't work for all the songs. "World
keeps turning" is full of clichés and is overly preachy.
It becomes annoying and fails to deliver on what the message
to enjoy the day.
But, for every awkward moment though
there are two great moments on the album. Songs like "Wrong
About Me" show off Brett's soulful side and "Ain't Gonna
Lose You" showcases his tender side. Brett Dennen has the
talent to transform music and open listeners to new styles.
He has come along way from the campfire and songs about
the stars and friendship. His music continues to engage
and with each album he matures and grows. The future will
be bright but it will have to wait. Do yourself a favor
and take a moment to enjoy
Hope for the Hopeless.
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