Live At Roots by Brandin Reed

It's been a while since I've done a blog post about a CD review. I need to remember to do it more often, because everybody needs to listen to what I'm listening to.

Brandin Reed just put out his new EP called Live At Roots, which is 5 of his original, acoustic songs performed at the Roots Coffeehouse, not far from where he lives in Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas.

I had a chance to listen to it a couple times and love it. It's great, mellow songs, perfect for summertime and driving in the car.

I definitely recommend it. Give the songs a preview, either in iTunes or at Amazon and you'll quickly agree it is well worth buying, especially at the EP cost.

I think my favorites are tracks one and three, Breeze and No More Doubt. Very catchy guitar riffs and his signature smooth high tenor / falsetto throughout.

I should point out that I hate it when people drop names and I will never, ever do that.

Brandin and I go waaaaay back. It was well over mumble mumble years ago that we both worked together leading praise and worship for the youth / young adults at New Beginnings Christian Center in Portland.

(I won't say how long ago it was, but my now adult kids were still knee high. Let's leave it at that.)

I played electric guitar as well as a little keyboard and bass and Brandin led the singing and played acoustic guitar. He also wrote many of the original songs we did and was a really good rapper, too.

Even now, he leads the music ministry for New Beginnings DFW in Texas, while I fix computers for a living. Soooo, that should tell you something.

But make no mistake, I taught him literally everything he knows about guitar and singing.*

*(This is not even remotely accurate, so I will probably repeat it many times, especially as he gets more and more famous.)

Seriously, it is cool to hear what he is doing now, compared to the already good songs he was writing and singing way back mumble mumble years ago.

Several of the tracks have a unique mix of jazz and gospel influence and yet are very reminiscent of worship songs and charismatic church services, being extended out in length and very spontaneous, from the heart. Definitely a nice side to this being recorded in front of a live crowd.

Which is actually the first thing I forgot! Honestly.

As I listened to the first song and was admiring how good the guitar and harmonies sounded and the overall production quality, I was pleasantly surprised to be reminded that it was performed live by the clapping at the end.

Brandin is a great guy with a lot of talent and a really good voice and it really shines through on Live At Roots. Give it a listen.