The quirky, delightful music of indie rocker Wayne Kerr will take you by surprise, but it's all good. Listen to "Brand New Day" to send your spirit soaring.
The first distorted strains of “Nothing Is Better Than You” leave you guessing, but then the old school rock beats and those happy-feet joy-joy lyrics kick in, and the Wayne Kerr fun has officially begun. A mix of electric rock and piano driven worship, Kerr’s fourth project stays with you for a long time.
“A Brand New Day” is thick with tasty guitar treats, from the sparkling tidbits of melodic “The Favor,” to the bluesy note-bending of the title track, to the muscular instrumentation of “Can You Hear Me?” Kerr knows when to soar over the top of his tight band (“Can You Hear Me?”) or lay back and let the instruments underscore his soft vocals (the moving violin of standout track “Cruciform Me”). He’s solid on his own axe as well, adding a slight ragtime feel to his piano on the playful “Piano Grande Mocha in F,” wringing the life out of the keys on “Cruciform Me.”
The 8th track is an upbeat pop parody, “American Idle,” but from that point on things slow down into worship mode, and Kerr is equally adept there. “So Good” is one of my favorite tracks, dripping with adoration, and includes the wonderful closing refrain, “on the cross for me.” “Mosquito Song” is a quiet song of confession, and the jazz-flaired “Whispering” offers up a nice little samba groove. “Brand New Day” closes with a piano-driven love song, the gentle “Walk With Me,” written to wife Kelly. This ending choice only adds to the album’s warm feeling of intimacy, nicely mixed with moments of playful lunacy. Fun, plain and simple. Wayne Kerr’s “Brand New Day,” not to be missed.
