PRESS
Brian Elliot's "Strange" charts a cinematic tour de force of indie sound.
I am particularly fond of the lush, cinematic strings and how they are effortlessly intertwined with a groovy bassline and a captivating drum beat.
With sweeping string arrangements, a wonderfully retro Super 8 music video, and crooning vocals reminiscent of Alex Turner, this cinematic new single from his forthcoming debut Familiar Walk To Nowhere feels effortlessly elegant and thoroughly engrossing.
Better Than Dead sounds grand as if the artist has just been commissioned to write the soundtrack to a 1960s blockbuster. Melodies sit pretty while surrounded by a gorgeous arrangement. It’s the work of a man that has already found his way.
Through fuzzed out guitars, dramatically sweeping strings and the occasionally bouncy piano, Elliot asks “is lonely really better than dead?” It’s a feeling we’ve all considered during the worst depths of a breakup but the delivery here is less despair and more detached coolness.
The lead single from the album is “Blue Jean Girl.” The dynamic track has quite a split between its verses and the chorus. The verses have a vast, cinematic feel reminiscent of Kaputt-era Destroyer while the chorus enters a catchy guitar riff over the nu disco beat in what feels like a nod to Franz Ferdinand‘s “Take Me Out.”
East Nashville’s Brian Elliot is an emerging singer-songwriter with a cinematic, indie-rock style. Through music and analog film, he captures the feelings of love lost and the hopelessness of choosing art as a purpose in the 21st century. The result is a juxtaposition between his meticulously crafted sounds and the non-linear nature of 35mm and Super 8 film. Influenced by Arcade Fire, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra, and classic films, his art lives in an audio/visual universe that lies between Alex Turner and Quentin Tarantino. Elliot’s debut album, Familiar Walk To Nowhere is composed of crooning vocals, fuzz guitars, string sweeps, and warm synth pads. The record features visual media shot in the American Southwest that evoke the feeling of the vast loneliness of an uncertain destination. Listeners seeking an immersive experience will appreciate traveling through the landscape of Brian Elliot’s, Familiar Walk To Nowhere.