PDX singer-songwriter Shawn Brown’s latest EP, Into the Furious Light, is a raw and evocative exploration of the complex emotions surrounding loss, sadness, and hope. Released on November 1st, the EP, produced by Grecco Buratto (Shakira, Tegan and Sara), showcases Brown at his most vulnerable, with masterful engineering by Steve Drizos at The Panther Studio.
The EP opens with “Hold Fast,” a shimmering and exhilarating anthem of resilience. Brown’s high, emotive voice pierces through the bustling drums and gently strummed guitars, creating a powerful and uplifting atmosphere. Soulful backing vocals enrich the song, urging us to hold on to our true selves and to echo that strength through life’s storms.
In contrast, “Let Them Love Ya” adopts a more introspective approach. With gentle, immersive guitar strumming, Brown delivers a heartfelt plea for closeness and love, even in the face of life’s hardships. The standout lyric, “This time you can choose,” encapsulates Brown’s unwavering support for us to lean on.
The final track, “The Sad Ones (Acoustic Version),” showcases intricate guitar plucking and vivid, symbolic lyrics as Brown narrates a poignant story of shared pain and nostalgia. Lines such as “Whiskey soaking wedding dress / Can’t drink it all away” and “Turning up those old Cure albums / Staring at the sea” weave a narrative of reflective melancholy. The haunting refrain, “We’ll always be the sad ones,” illustrates that sadness is a universal experience, one from which we can never fully escape its recurring and unwelcome presence.
With Into the Furious Light, Shawn Brown solidifies his reputation as a masterful storyteller who heals, inspires, and uplifts even the heaviest of spirits.
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Review by: Naomi Joan