CL's pages are filled with odes to Jeff Brawer's gravely-throated adventures at the microphone, but they're usually in the context of the many bands he's played in over his decades in the Tampa scene. Today, the 43-year-old Old Vices frontman shared a new collection of solo acoustic material and is giving it away for free.
OCTOBER-FESTS: BIG PRE-FEST IN LITTLE YBOR 4
You won't hear these songs when Old Vices plays Big Pre-Fest in Little Ybor next week, but you should definitely give them a listen if you want a peek into the psyche of one of the Bay area's most respected songsmiths.
"I usually write songs with the intention of it being either acoustic or for Old Vices," Brawer told CL about the cuts on Choking on the Revelry. "Occasionally I've had an acoustic song that I know would sound a lot better faster and louder with Dan and Phil so I'll take it to them."
Most of the tracks on the 33-minute effort are pretty transparent, but "In America Fish Catch You" stands out in the way it captures a not-so-sunny view on life.
"I resist for all I'm worth against an unforgiving force that I can't even see," Brawer — who was born and raised in Tampa — sings. "I struggle on a line. I had to take that bite. Just starving and naive." He says the song is actually about fishing reversed.
"What it would be like being hooked and dragged under water by these fish celebrating as you drown. All the horror and life flashing regrets that would go through your mind," Brawer told CL in a message. "Then they decide that you're not worthy and throw you back to land."
"[It's about] the rejection of not being good enough for them," he added. "So basically it's pretty much about everyday life."
Listen to the effort below and download it for free via Bandcamp.
This article appears in Oct 13-20, 2016.