The winter gets pretty bleak sometimes, especially this year. With all the goings-on it is sometimes hard to appreciate good things in life. If you’re like me you turn to music to find some self-help, that’s where the BRKN comes in. Despite the name, this Denver born band delivers on good vibes and energetic beats to launch them on a sound that has its roots in new wave such as The Cars yet retain Pop-Punk riffs and drum beats that could easily be billed next to bands like Paramore and Panic! At the Disco.
When questioned about the seemingly “hard” band name, “I’ve always been in love with bands that have really happy songs but sad lyrics” replies frontman Jacob Cade.
“ I like the idea of melancholy, and feeling kinda sad, and listening to really happy songs with sad lyrics”.
This is reflected in songs such as “Lying All the Time” which depicts a slow demise of a relationship lyrically while Guitarist MJ Younkers and Drummer Mike Bokenkamp deliver solid upbeat Indi-Rock riffs.
The 2021 Self Released album “Come Outside” displays the range of the band’s musical tastes from the established Pop-Punk of its first track “Calm Down,” to the “sexy” blues-rock-inspired track “Fake Love”. The latest song and accompanying video is a return to what the band does best. Producing feeling.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6dLhR3MnRo%5B/embedyt%5D“Coffee”, the band’s first release of 2022, is an upbeat composition with infectious hooks that will bury themselves in your head for the rest of the afternoon, and a rock tune that is the gold standard for what a summer song should be. Along with an entertaining music video shot completely on iPhone by guitarist MJ. “ I actually got my degree in filmmaking” MJ admits,
“We just kinda wanted to go for a completely different vibe for Coffee”. “We filmed
the whole thing in one day, just went to the thirst shop, found a coffee maker and some random accouterment and had fun with it. It was awesome!”
In response to my burning question, about the fate of the KIA Soul whose fate was memorialized in the credits of “Coffee”, Drummer Mike Bokenkamp sheepishly replies,
“ My engine failed due to an engine recall thing, and it happened on the day that we filmed the video for “Coffee”. So I was late to the video, and on my way home my car completely died, I was out of a car for three months”.
COVID has not slowed down the BRKN with the band kicking off their tour with The Dangerous Summer in the UK, Europe, and the U.S. in 2022.“I’m incredibly thankful to TDS for having us out on tour again. This run is the biggest thing we’ve ever done collectively and as individuals. It’s gonna be an experience and I cannot wait to get out there,” says frontman Cade.
The latest song & video “Not The Same”
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWqwE4-h3rw%5B/embedyt%5DThe BRKN’s 2021 EP “Come Outside”
For More information on tour dates and where to follow the BRKN
