Brian Larsen's music blends indie rock, melodic pop, and a hint of folk rock -- the result is a uniquely appealing and instantly catchy sound. Larsen's finger-picking guitar style and memorable lyrics complete the package, creating songs that are as enjoyable as they are unforgettable.
Brian Larsen: "Breaking" Out
It's uncommon to find a modern day singer/songwriter whose sound recalls such artists as John Mayer, REM, Lindsey Buckingham, the Byrds, and the Beatles. But BRIAN LARSEN is not your average musician.
Having been a recording artist since the ripe old age of 11, the 23-year-old Laurel, MD, resident is now making his move as a solo artist, and he's off to a magnificent start with his brand new offering, BREAKING (Protocol Records). Amazingly, despite Larsen's youth, Breaking is already his eighth album overall (counting the albums he issued with the group he previously led, Twilight's Moon).
With Breaking already being heard on over 100 college radio stations, Larsen has also launched a popular new weekly "vlog" (www.blogbrian.com), a day-in-the-life video comedy series which has quickly gained over 100,000 YouTube fans, chronicling everything from flirting with old ladies at bingo parlors to fun videos inspired by the songs on the new album.
Breaking is the first release to be credited solely to Larsen. Following the same route as Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, and Prince on their early solo albums, Larsen wrote, performed, and produced the album entirely himself.
"My earlier albums were part of my growth process, but my world view has expanded over time as I've gained experience," explains Larsen. "Along the way, I've improved my recording technique, my songwriting technique, my performing technique and my singing technique. Breaking is very personal to me because it reflects my growth and evolution, not only as an artist and an entertainer, but as a person."
Managing to be both acoustic and melodic at the same time ("folk-pop" wouldn't be a too-far-off fitting description), Larsen's impressive talent for song-craft is well beyond his years. And while it was not pre-planned to be a concept album, there is indeed a lyrical thread that runs throughout Breaking.
"These 13 songs are loosely strung together by the word 'breaking,' which appears in almost every song," Larsen notes. "The word 'breaking' can mean so many different things, and it took on many different connotations as I recorded the album - from breaking someone's heart to breaking down boundaries or barriers. 'Breaking' can also mean 'breaking' news. The album represents so many different emotions, and yet the songs are tied together by the word 'breaking.' Instead of becoming a snapshot or a picture, the album feels more like a movie, if you will."
Song-wise, Breaking is chock full of smartly-penned acoustic-pop that includes message-filled lyrics to boot. Case in point: "In the Winter," which uses winter as a metaphor for dealing with challenges and adversity, as well as "Watching the World Go By," a song that reflects on life's uncertainty, "Watching You Fall," which speaks of persevering despite having doubts and insecurities, and "Will You Remember Me?," a song about examining one's place in the world.
"'Will You Remember Me?' asks whether or not people will appreciate my contributions to the industry after I'm gone," explains Larsen. "I think that with the uncertainty of the world we are in, a lot of people are questioning their role in society. 'Will You Remember Me?' is about my place and everyone else's place in the grand scheme of things."
From top to bottom, Larsen is entirely his own man, going as far as self-managing and even creating the graphics and packaging for his CD's.
"Everything about my entertainment career is just about me being natural and being myself. If people can connect with that -- if they can laugh with me, laugh at me, or relate to me, then that's great. I want to be active in the whole of the entertainment industry."
And judging by Breaking, Larsen is well on his way.