FEATURE: The Brazen Youth Tackle Life, Death, And The Unpredictability Of Growing Up On Stunning New EP ‘Changing’ & Talk About The Process In The Latest Q&A
With two full-lengths and a sturdy handful of singles and EPs under their belt, Lyme, Connecticut trio The Brazen Youth have added to their growing discography with their latest EP Changing. As the band steps into their seventh year together, their sound continues to evolve, stepping away from their barnyard-folk rock into, well, barnyard-rock. Their debut full-length The Ever Dying Bristlecone Man came out in 2016 while they were in high school, and looking back, there seems to be one thing that continues to tie the group to their beginnings. Having cemented their writing process inside the 300 year old Ashlawn Farm in their hometown, the trio of Nicholas Lussier, Charles Dahlke, and 2016 addition Micah Rubin have made it a mission to return to the secluded studio for each project, finding solace in its rustic charm as an escape from the outside world.
For their new 4-track release Changing, the songs were written following a long tour and while the world was shifting into a place of no return – shadowed by the passing of Charles’ father. The contrast of the external chaos mixed with the serenity and isolation of three friends crafting music about nostalgia, growing up, life, and love comes through clearly on the track list. Opening single and emo-folk ballad “Changing” suddenly shifts into a new empowered second half, while the jangling “Cloud Parade” balances between cinematic and heartbreaking. Not to mention the lead single and closing track “Hometown” and its expressive piano chords finding a certain Chris Martin meets Bon Iver energy, as they sing about memories lost in time. Melting together country, folk, and indie rock, the song’s swinging momentum adds a certain element of reflection and comfort that comes only with sitting on a front porch in the coolness of a summer night with friends and a few beers – something that at one point seemed impossible.
Listen to the EP below, and get a deeper look into the new record and their upcoming tour with the latest Q&A just past.
How did recording on the farm shape the EP?
Charlie: We’ve always recorded at the farm, so it’s a very comfortable space. We had a lot of time to make mistakes.
Micah: Yeah, I started coming to the farm in 2016 and fell in love with it immediately. The space is so inspiring and feels like another home for me. It shaped the EP in a really interesting way because the three of us have had so many formative experiences growing together on the farm.
Nic: There’s something really special about returning to the farm after being away for a while. Especially now that we’ve all kinda moved to new places throughout New England, there’s a certain feeling that will always be preserved at the Farm.
How does heading out on a tour feel now compared to when you were on the road before the pandemic?
Micah: I’m so excited to get back on the road… Don’t get me wrong though it does feel a little strange after COVID. I think the things that we have to think about as a band in regards to overall health safety for us and our fans is just an added dimension to the touring process and will definitely present challenges at times but is super important to constantly be thinking about and planning.
Nic: I think we’ve changed as performers and as artists and people in general. I’m curious about how I’ll feel when performing — will I snap back into an old mindset?
Despite it being 4 tracks, the EP covers a range of topics. How would you describe the emotional weight of the record?
Charlie: It’s very heavy for me, as a lot of the songs I wrote for the record were about the passing of my Dad. The whole experience was very cathartic, and it doesn’t make me sad to listen back. It feels like a weight has been lifted.
Micah: We were all so collaborative in the studio, but the raw demos and songs that Nic and Charlie brought to this EP were about experiences that I was present for more or less and hearing these songs in their beginning stages was always really touching for me.
Nic: So many factors. Me and Charlie primarily write the songs before bringing them to the band — where we all re-write some parts and arrange together. These songs are definitely some of our most emotional — and of course the passing of Charlie’s dad played a huge role in those emotions. On top of this, a lot of the songs I wrote for the record revolve around growing up, dealing with loss of real things — but also dealing with the loss of unconscious feelings like familiarity. Old things change, life is never the same.
It’s been five years since your debut record. Looking back, is there anything you would change? Anything you’re most appreciative of?
Charlie: Just very appreciative of what we’ve been able to do and see in 5 years. And the creative chemistry the 3 of us have formed.
Nic: That album for me is a great way of reliving some of me and Charlie’s most electrifying days. We were only in high school, experiencing so many things for the first time. It’s a reminder of that life.
Tour dates:
* = w/ Melt
OCTOBER
28 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom *
29 – Providence, RI @ Fete Music Hall *
30 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Wonder Bar *
DECEMBER
09 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10 – Allston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall *
11 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground *
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