Perfect Abandon

With his newest release in a fifteen-year career, North Dakota native Brosseau (he lives in LA now) perfects his gorgeous, understated, bright-eyed folk. Recorded live with a small band around a single microphone, the music is crisp and easygoing, the vocals bright and clear, the lyrics vivid and roving. It’s perfect warm-weather music, fun and thoughtful and relaxing all the way through. Favorites: 1, 2, 4, 5. Borderline FCC on 9.

1. *(4:13)—Slow talking blues. About being abandoned by his mom in a department store. Pretty, melancholy, funny.
2. *(3:50)—Mid-tempo, jaunty and easy. About taking the train down the Pacific coast.
3. (3:49)—Slow, sad, waltz time ballad. Keening vocals.
4. *(5:19)—Mid-tempo. A simple, repeating guitar line drives the whole thing, leaving Brosseau to unfurl a freewheeling, stream-of-conscious journey through his daily surroundings.
5. *(4:44)—Mid-tempo. About nursing a heavy crush on his landlord.
6. (1:39)—Instrumental. Finger-picked guitar.
7. (3:11)—Medium-slow, bluesy, loping. Harmonica.
8. (4:07)—Mid-tempo. Long, lovely guitar intro. Carefree, major-key.
9. (3:55)—Borderline FCC (b****). Mid-tempo, with driving acoustic bass and minimal drums.
10. (6:34)—Slow major-key waltz.