Seattle singer-songwriter Sarah Brunner steps into a new chapter with her self-titled EP, Sarah Brunner, a five-track collection that wraps intimate stories of connection, identity, grief, memory, and change in warm Americana textures. Originally from Michigan and performing across the United States for more than 15 years, Brunner brings a seasoned voice to the project, with her low, velvety vocals giving even its gentlest moments a quietly commanding presence. Recorded at the renowned Bear Creek Studio, the EP feels personal without becoming insular, repeatedly turning private experiences into something listeners can recognise in themselves.
The opening “Something Else” wastes no time getting under the skin. Heavy beats anchor warm, shimmering instrumentation while Brunner’s thick, husky voice delivers a catchy warning about becoming so consumed by screens that genuine human presence starts slipping away. The repeated plea to “make time for someone else” gives the song an affectionate urgency; underneath its harmonious glow is the fear that people can live beside one another and still become strangers.
“Miss Kentucky” takes that concern for human connection into the political realm, responding to threats against marriage equality and affirming the importance of protecting the freedom to love. Its inclusion of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s voice from the Obergefell v. Hodges majority opinion gives the track a documentary-like weight.
Then comes “Piano Keys,” a contemplative meditation on mortality and remembrance, imagining the dead lingering in pine trees, passing trains, snowflakes, and familiar music. It’s followed by “Eyes of You,” where Brunner slips into the perspective of someone experiencing cognitive decline. Her low, breathy delivery floats through glimmering instrumentation as deep strings hang ominously overhead, making the question “Can’t you see who I am?” particularly haunting.
Closing with “Safe Bet,” Brunner turns toward the difficult freedom of leaving a relationship that no longer feels like home. There’s melancholy in the goodbye, but also relief because she didn’t end up wearing his mother’s ring forever.
Produced by Timothy Robert Graham, Sarah Brunner is ultimately an EP about recognising what matters before it disappears. Warm, thoughtful, and emotionally direct, it finds strength in the courage to choose connection, authenticity, and change.
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Review by: Naomi Joan