2. Braidwood’s Second Cacophony
November 23, 2018  I  by Tom Harrison, The Province newspaper, Vancouver, BC

In the year of the 50th anniversary of the release of The Beatles’ “White Album” comes Braidwood’s Second Cacophony.

Obviously, Braidwood is not The Beatles but the diversity of Braidwood’s second album has a similar effect, and a Beatles influence runs throughout.

Depending on the track, the White Album could win you or lose you and it took time to appreciate the album as a whole. Second Cacophony isn’t as extreme, but it has weaknesses such as Maybe She’ll Call Tonight that might lose you and plenty of strengths that are ingratiating.

Braidwood swings drastically from the jazzy feel and pedal steel of Just Friends to the white pop/R&B of Fallen, with horns that light up the song like something Style Council might have done or that can be heard on The Beatles’ Got To Get You Into My Life, followed immediately by Call You At Midnight, a kind of music hall novelty replete with kazoo.

Call You At Midnight makes me think of Harry Nilsson. Nilsson was diverse, too, able with his own records to mix in commercial pop, that kind of music hall camp, sentimentality and cynicism. He could be smart or a smart ass. Braidwood never crosses that line but the comparison is valid. Braidwood starts Second Cacophony with a nonsensical fanfare similar to Nilsson’s opening to Pandemonium Shadow Show. It’s also worth remembering that when The Beatles were asked to name their favourite American “group,” they cited Harry Nilsson.

As for The Beatles’ influence some of it is pronounced such as Rest Of The Day’s Tomorrow Never Knows opening drum salvo or the George Harrison guitar fills, such as those of Down The Road. Less obvious is the same song’s subtle reference to Let It Be or the progression on Make Your Mind that recalls Dear Prudence.

There is evidence that Brent Braidwood learned from his first album, Almost Lost My Nerve. The arrangements have a depth not evident on the first album and the inescapable presence of background vocals also indicate growth.

Part of Second Cacophony’s appeal is that Braidwood continues to explore within a limited framework. Sort of like the White Album.

3. Obstacle Illusion
August 6, 2024  |  by Robert Sider, Waveney Valley Radio, England

Many thanks to Catherine CJC promotions for hooking us up with Brent Braidwood in order that we could review his latest album Obstacle Illusion.

Kicking off with the rocking Sunshineland (all albums should start at this pace) which highlights the tightness and talent of the band you are swept along into Lead Me Back To My Fair One, slick guitar riffs abound intertwining with a solid bass line. Mumbo River staccato’s into life, vocals set to a slight echo, “yeah, yeah, yeah, round we go” hints of John Lennon in there and a dancing flute from Bill Runge and then it just stops without warning.

The pace slows down and the lyrically magic Angels Go kicks in soft and dreamy and another layer of Brent’s musical talent unfolds. By Wednesday picks up the pace again, and showcases the “pop” potential of the band, and then a classic thumping no nonsense Rolling Stones esque intro into Pieces Come To Fall.

So at track six I was asking myself can it get any better???? Answer; Damn tooting it can and does…..

…. Socrateasing Me romps along, “I know what your’e thinking I see it in your eyes” hooks you right into it. Quiet Girl comes next, anything but quiet, this is music with the relentless ability to wrong foot you… and it does as the slightly syncopated off beat Nothing Could Make Up For You takes us back into potential pop chart territory.

Kelly Stodola – Freelance Drummer smashes the intro to Unfortunate Bygone and maintains a rock solid beat throughout and we are only at track 10. Forgive Me slows the set right down and the “doo wop, bom, bom, bom bom,” backing vocals lead us into a heartfelt ballad. What It Is and Only But A Dream moves us towards the end of the set which concludes with the rockin’ 30 second long Colostomy Bag.

Make no mistake, this is a huge album, it twists and turns all the way through, it is a proper driving album, stick it in the CD player turn it to 11 and put your foot to the floor. We absolutely love it. Go to www.braidwoodsongs.com to find the album and much more about Brent.

Where will it appear in Augusts Top 20 Album chart which will be published on the 1st September. Well that’s up to you the reader. The more shares and interactions this post gets the further up the charts it will appear.