A Fresh EP Release from Brandon Bing
- R.A.G.
- 20 minutes ago
- 4 min read
A fresh new release from Brandon Bing brings together elements of heavy-handed country with rock, and does it with a tasteful style and approach, all keeping to a slightly dark overtone and bringing out all kinds of personal attributes that showcase little pieces of himself in almost every song, along with showcasing his ability to stay strong throughout the entire record thematically.
The new release is called Haunted House, and it's a six-song EP that kicks things off with the title track.
Right off the bat, you get a great feel for what you might expect from some of the full record, although there are plenty of surprises along the way. "Haunted House" gives you some of the darker elements musically and melodically, while including a violin giving off some of the haunting melodies the song was meant to boast. This is a great addition because not only does it help the track have this certain aesthetic, but it also adds a beautiful texture to the song.
Again, Brandon can blend that country rock sound so well, and he always comes through with these sorts of robust or bountiful vocals. One of my favorite aspects about how he performs on a lot of these tracks is that he gives you such Lush vocal harmonies, and on this track in particular, those backing harmonies are what help that haunting push forward.
Everything has that slightly eerie or dark underbelly, and that's part of what the song is for. This is a Halloween release after all.
The track that follows is called "Moonshine", which absolutely gives you a massive chorus and kicks in some classic country influences. This track features some great keys that beckon classic Hammond tones. There are also strings on this one, but they're more orchestrated, giving things a little bit of a cinematic feel as well.
It's the choruses that really hit hard and rock out with big soundscapes, and those parts of the songs that really stick in your head.
One of the other things that really hits you about this record is that the lyrics seem to stay with you, too. Brandon seems to be a great storyteller, and while there are a lot of personal attributes lyrically, he's able to put them in a perspective that you can really relate to and follow along with.
It's amazing how much attention to detail he puts into those lyrics while still creating songs that fit the mood for them so incredibly well.
A good country EP should never happen without a bit of a power ballad, and "Black Widow" seems to be exactly that. This one has a beautiful and almost elegant performance from everybody. Brandon still has that big and robust feel to his vocals. He's got a very particular tone, but he's also able to add subtleties to that for the ballad-style tracks like this one.
He's got a great dynamic in how he performs throughout the entire record. The songs that are heavy rockers, especially at those courses, he really belts out, giving hints of classic Country and Southern raspiness when he wants to, and seems to adapt to each song individually.
This track was outstanding because it really just takes you along for this full ride, and it's also very full body with all the instruments involved, so that you have this very big sound with those bits of emotional pull to go along with them.
Each of these tracks stands out very well as singles. Honestly, they could all work as singles by themselves. However, listening to the full ep is the best way to go because it takes you on a little bit of a journey, and I love that.
Again, this is a six-track EP and spans just over 21 minutes in length, so you definitely have the time to soak it in.
There's something about Brandon that gives you that big country feel as he pulls from classic and new influences and creates something that feels, not just radio-friendly, but also memorable, impactful, and again, telling stories so very well that you can come at times, picture things as songs unfold.
All this comes along with a bit of a cinematic underbelly and the air of a live performance. There's something about a lot of these songs, especially songs like "Black Widow", that put you right there in the moment with the song itself.
Listening to these songs makes you want to go see Brandon perform them all live. That's kind of a rarity these days.
He absolutely captures this amazing energy on record, and that's part of why the EP is so infectious to begin with.
The whole thing starts a bit more edgy or dark-toned, I should say. As the release unfolds and you start listening through all the songs, it becomes slightly more light-hearted but always truthful, storytelling, and based in that true Southern Country tonality, while never being afraid to rock.
So, dive into this one right now as he just dropped it today. To me, it's a near-perfect way to kick off your Halloween.