Brittany Jean, a band formed in 2002, broke up right before the release of their most recent album, Places. The former drummer, Will Copps, moved to Germany to study and explore synesthesia after the breakup. However, Brittany Jean, the person, has been sending Will Copps her vocals, guitars and other instrumental works, which he has been compiling into songs.
The release opens with “Sandbridge,” a melancholic yet slightly hopeful track which showcases Brittany Jean’s stunning voice through the use of a lot of extended notes. It is a slow melody, without much distracting instrumentals behind the music, which help to cause a wistful and relaxing mood. “Thistle” adds the soft noises of the beach to the music, with low-volume seagulls joining in on the woe. Possibly the saddest song on the record, “The Fall” is about the vocalist trying to win a past lover back and get him to finally stay and settle down with her. The ethereal beginning soon morphs into a heartbreaking chorus, with just Jean’s voice and a piano stealing the show. The closer, “Vow,” allows Jean’s vocals and lyrics to pierce the heart. It ends the album without much of bang, but successfully continues the grieving tone.
Brittany Jean has a wonderful, pointy voice that really grabs hold of the soul and doesn’t let go. Almost everyone can relate to the LP’s universal theme of unrequited love and broken hearts, which makes it all the more touching. Places really does its job well, transporting listeners to a beach or a coffeehouse, or a time in the past where love existed.
In A Word: Passionate
