eTown Taping with Brett Dennen and Marley’s Ghost
About Brett Dennen:
Across his career, Brett Dennen has established himself as the kind of singer-songwriter who finds inspiration by digging into the nooks and crannies of the human condition — exploring pain, joy, sadness and all points in between. If It Takes Forever (Mick Music), the California native’s eighth solo album and first full-length since 2021’s See the World, is no exception. The warm, immersive collection boasts deeply felt sentiments, underpinned by rich acoustic guitars and Brett’s earnest vocals, in the vein of dusky Americana (“Golden State of Mind”), harmonica-driven blues (the Tom Petty-esque “Careful What You Wish For”), rootsy indie (“Don’t Go Talking”) and meditative folk-rock (highlight “Time To Wake Up”).
If It Takes Forever emerged out of a tough 2023 for Brett, as he was dealing with the death of his dad. “He was such a strong figure in my life that I depended on so much as both a dad and a best friend,” he said. “And I knew immediately in order for me to deal with his death, the best thing I could do was to make an album about it.”
Understandably, Brett took his time coming up with song ideas for If It Takes Forever, and spent the bulk of a year simply thinking about “what kind of album I was going to make and what kinds of songs were going to be on the album,” he says. “I jotted down ideas on paper, made little voice memos with ideas of songs, melodies and choruses, or sometimes even just talked into a voice recorder.”
With these ideas as a foundation, Brett was well-prepared by the time he hunkered down in late 2023 to formalize his rough ideas into songs. “Making them a reality all happened very fast,” he says. “These songs were in my head and came out when I had the guitar in my hand. I would record one, put it away and then come back a few days or a few weeks later and listen to it: ‘Okay, I think that's done. That's good enough. Move on, move on, move on.’”
Brett naturally wrote some songs directly about his dad. But he also wanted If It Takes Forever to tackle his new reality going forward. “It was evaluating life — like, what did this person mean to me?” he says. “What did they inspire in me? What do I think life is about now? Who's the person I really want to be?” But he also found himself turning to broader philosophical questions. “I was also thinking about the state of life: What is life? What does it mean? What's it all about?”
This lent itself to lyrics full of vibrant imagery with multiple layers of meaning. Among his favorite songs is the gentle, folksy “In the Garden,” which was indirectly inspired by his parents and the impressive vegetable garden they tended. “I don't necessarily think it's a song about my dad—or a song about him speaking to my mom, per se — but I think it's a song about love and putting your intention into something,” Brett explains. “Metaphorically, it’s about taking care of something and creating something beautiful, but it’s also a literal place for beautiful things to grow, and a calm place to find solace in.”
With If It Takes Forever, Brett plans to hit the road once again, but he possesses additional perspective on — and gratitude for — the solace provided by art and music. “To really boil it down, this is life,” he says. “Life is full of things that get complicated and make you busy, and are really hard to deal with. But if you write songs about it, and put it into art, then it makes it a lot more relevant and meaningful and worthy of celebration.”
About Marley’s Ghost:
“Americana” is a brand that’s been bandied about quite liberally in today’s musical environs. And yet, it takes a certain dedication and determination to remain true to its essence. On the other hand, versatility and variation go hand in hand. And yet, each depends on the other. In the case of Western US-based Marley’s Ghost, that eclectic energy has resulted in a broad repertoire that's challenged labeling their sound with any one particular genre. Their dozen albums to date showcase a broad scope of Americana and acoustic music in general, making it all but impossible to limit them to one niche.
Paste magazine described them as "a decidedly unusual band, as capable of reanimating Appalachian folk songs as they are traditional Celtic fare, honky tonk and reggae.” It went on to say, “Marley’s Ghost has earned cult-band status over years of spirited musicianship, multi-part harmonies and irreverent humor.”
Marley’s Ghost dutifully deserves that praise. As they mark their 40th anniversary as a band, on March 17th of this year, they continue to deliver, both on stage and in the studio. They’ll be kicking off their anniversary tour with their March 10th live performance at e-Town in Boulder.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3480595-0
