Artistes like Brandon Riley are rare in modern music. His shiny vocals and lyrics set him apart, but his determination to succeed in music is truly commendable. He started out playing with different bands, teaching himself instruments, singing, and songwriting. Now, he has made it even further in the game with the release of his second single, “Scar Tattoo”.
The song starts with a sweet guitar phrase accompanied by piano chords with heavy reverb. Brandon’s voice comes piercing in and the sweetness of the guitar disappears for a moment. The change that comes about a minute into the song signifies a change in the attitude and the approach that must be taken if your world ever burns down. The late introduction of the drums allows us to hear him clearly with no interference, and by the time they come in, you may already be singing along.
Riley sees his scars as a way to “stand out from the crowd” rather than a negative thing. Brandon Riley enforces the idea right through the song that we should be proud of our scars, remembering that what we go through doesn’t have to define us. This message is one that has the power to put others in a better mindset, regardless of what they are up against.
Being influenced by turbulent times in American History like the Roaring Twenties and The Great Depression, Riley’s music is full of substance. He preaches the ideology that even in the darkest times, we can rise to the occasion and enjoy doing so. This is reflected by his musical content, and it shows great promise as a new artiste. Riley draws a lot of inspiration from The Beatles, so you know you can expect great things from him.
‘Scar Tattoo’ was released on September 17, 2021 and can be heard on all music platforms. You can listen to the song here.
