Warm American Sweater

When Brady Brock set out to make an album, his 2002 debut, I Will Live in You Where Your Heart Used to Be, wasn't meant to be released. He wanted to record a few songs for some friends; however, the end result took him beyond his modest expectations, allowing Brock to blossom into an artist. Warm American Sweater is proof of that, an impressive sophomore effort from the New York City singer/songwriter, who was merely in search of a comfort zone the first time around. He's a little bit older and wiser on Warm American Sweater, and with the help of producer Thom Monahan (the Pernice Brothers, Dinosaur Jr., the Silver Jews), Brock grounded himself for his most cohesive sound yet. Indie pop threads are thicker ("Stay as Sweet as You Are"), and Brock's once delicate acoustic riffs get heavy ("Happiness") as his ever-questioning mindset drifts throughout the ten-song set list. As a vocalist, Brock is much more confident; from the wispy rock edge of "You Will Be a Skinny Ghost" to "Pass and Stow"'s folky touch, Warm American Sweater clues you in on Brock's earnest attempt to make these songs a personal journey not only for him as an artist, but for the listener as well. Lush string arrangements, pianos, and banjos capture the album's basic dreamlike structure for a pleasurable listen. Brock isn't interested in big production to make a decent album. He works with what's natural, mixing it with what provokes him to think and feel as an individual. The sonic richness of Warm American Sweater makes that pretty clear.