Jay Brannan’s entrance to popular culture came via John Cameron Mitchell’s film Shortbus (2006)– a searing and brilliant look at the traditional conventions of queer cinema. It alternately attempted to present a utopian view of human salvation through sex as cultural exchange. Brannan’s role as Ceth is particularly central to the film’s mission in examining human relationships through triangulation. He engages in a threesome with two of the main protagonists that ultimately reveals the central debate about emotional redemption vis-a-vis sex. However, it was Brannan’s original song “Soda Shop,” used during a major turning point of Shortbus, that propelled him into the folk atmosphere and launched his career nationally as a singer-songwriter. Since then he’s co-released two albums on Nettwerk and his own Great Depression Recordings label, but it’s been his consistent presence on YouTube, performing unadorned folk songs on his guitar, that caught the attention of fans across the country.
In a 2006 interview with the New York Times, Brannan describes his sound as “more like Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell– I go for the sound of the angry, sad woman.” While there is much truth to this, his crystal-clear tenor also betrays the Ani DiFranco-based characterization by never being too growly or too idiosyncratic. Instead, he fits with the soothing coo and folky idiom of Lisa Loeb and the artists of Lilith Fair. His alignment with gay culture, though, provides an alternative perspective that imbue his songs with a decisively male edge, thereby allowing him the horizontal mobility to inhabit both masculine and feminine spheres. By embracing these potentially divergent realms, though, he is able to connect with a much wider audience, which was evident at his show at San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill in January.
Jay began his set with a new song called “A Love Story.” It’s a plaintive ballad lamenting the demise of a relationship, but which eventually morphs into a vehicle of empowerment when he sings “I’ll pin love down, make love see / love better believe in me.” For an artist so accustomed to self-deprecation, it’s a welcome break. The lyrics are stark but compelling, and it’s in his restraint from indulgence that Brannan showcases a definite maturation in his songwriting capability. The song wholly captured the attention of the audience, but it was when he launched into “Soda Shop” that the crowd came alive and shouted in glee. Brannan acknowledged their fervor with humor and delivered a faithful yet buoyant rendition of the single.
“The Spanglish Song” is another new one that Brannan is road testing, and while not the strongest lyrically or musically of the bunch, it’s definitely the most entertaining. He gave a comical introduction in which he discussed his Spanish sojourn earlier in the year, which led to many crushes and fascinations with the local men. It was witty and charming, and he explained the chorus’ English translation, which only added to the triteness of the lyrics. Thankfully, however, the song’s melody is warm and inviting, and the interchange of English and Spanish is delightfully playful.
He continued with the light-hearted fun by telling a story of how during a performance of Jann Arden’s “Good Mother” (off of his second album In Living Cover) he realized that all popular songs are essentially built off of four chords, which led to him forgetting Arden’s song and remembering only Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” This led to a rousing sing-a-long with the audience. Brannan then teased the chorus of Katy Perry’s “Firework” before starting “Housewife”– a real fan favorite. He is in no way shy about his unabating love for cheesy pop(see his Ke$ha YouTube “tribute”), and by indulging this passion he completely elated the audience.
Brannan’s second full-length album consists of two self-penned songs and seven covers, ranging from The Cranberries to Bob Dylan; however, he did not perform any of these covers, choosing instead a well-known Sinead O’Connor work, “Black Boys on Mopeds.” It’s a stinging indictment of a pre-21st Century England, in which O’Connor contrasts Margaret Thatcher’s outward condemnation of genocide worldwide with the fiercely tumultuous racist landscape of England in 1990. Brannan’s cover is quite faithful to the original, but he still was quite captivating in the performance. His choice to follow the song with his own “Goddamned” was misguided, though, as its lyrics and melody pale in comparison to O’Connor’s, and seem downright sophomoric when juxtaposed with such a moving work.
Brannan rounded out the set with two well-known songs (“Can’t Have it All” and “Half-Boyfriend”) mixed alongside unreleased work. The audience sang along with zeal to the two hits and listened intently to “Myth of Happiness,” “La La La” and “Rob Me Blind,” three newer songs. “Myth of Happiness” is a solid folk tune and will be a great addition to the new album, but the latter two miss the mark. “La La La” is unimaginative and falls back on Brannan’s trademark self-deprecation, all mixed with a continuous capo-ing up schtick during the choruses. “Rob Me Blind” is nothing short of a dirge, and it was quite frustrating that Brannan decided to end the set on such a dour note. He was able to strike an excellent balance between exuberance and melancholy for the majority of the set; however, the choice to close with these two new works was ill-judged and unfortunate.
Despite the regrettable ending, Brannan’s performance in San Francisco proved his worthiness among his folk contemporaries. He’s able to craft songs that engage the audience while still retaining a poetry that comes from a maturing artistry. Each of his shows in the city continue to sell out, indicating Brannan’s growing fanbase. With some careful editing and restraint on his new album, he could really rocket from low visibility to sought-after folk singer. Thankfully, he has enlisted the help of David Kahne as producer, who has worked with the likes of Paul McCartney, Regina Spektor and Stevie Nicks. As long as Brannan focuses on the stronger new material, such as “A Love Story” and “Everywhere There’s Statues,” he may have a big hit on his hands. And with a live show as entertaining and moving as he consistently gives, there’s only one way to move: up.
Setlist:
A Love Story (New Song)
Soda Shop
Beautifully
The Spanglish Song (New Song)
Greatest Hits
Housewife
Black Boys on Mopeds (Sinead O’Connor Cover)
Goddamned
Everywhere There’s Statues (New Song)
Can’t Have it All
Myth of Happiness (New Song)
Half-Boyfriend
La La La
Encore:
Rob Me Blind (New Song)
