Matthew Patania 
Indie folk singer-songwriter Brian Dunne reminds us that having a “voice” in a world as bleak as we’re experiencing, is more important now, than ever. “You can feel a bit like a circus clown standing in the middle of D-Day, so the thought does occur, you know, “maybe now would be a good time to shut the fuck up?” But then, songs do matter., or they matter to me at least. So I’m gonna keep making them and trying my hardest to get them to people,” says Dunne.
Recorded in Los Angeles with producer/mixer/engineer Andrew Sarlo (Big Thief, Caroline Rose), Selling Things is an album about growing up; “the disillusionment of my preconceived notions of the world and the shattering of the safeguards that kept me at ease for my first quarter-century on Earth, explains Dunne. It is about finding peace in uncertainty and accepting emotions for what they are.
Dunne’s latest work offers up a collection of mainly acoustic-driven tracks accompanied by melodic vocals, harmonics and booming drums, making for dark undertones; the ultimate storyteller combination. “I tried really hard not to tie a neat bow on these songs; I just wanted people to know that if they had felt this particular way, or saw things the way I did, that they were not alone.” says Dunne.
It’s a notion Dunne vividly expresses, on “Nothing Matters Anymore,” “I used to worry bout the way I talked, I used to think about the way I thought, I used to talk about myself a lot, but nothing matters anymore,” he sings. A reminder to free yourself of expectation and embrace freedom.
Selling Things is journal-like in the sense that it is full of personal reflection and expression. The fourth track, “Chasing Down A Ghost,” draws on a time spent wrestling with mental health and an existential crisis: “Cause all my life honey, I don’t know how to let it go. How to learn to stand with what I am and what I cannot control.” On the other hand, a song like “Getting Wrecked On Election Day,” although politically referenced, offers a silver lining about life: “One day we’re young and the next we ain’t. If nothing matters in a greater design well at least we had a pretty good time.” Whatever it is we experience, holds only as much value as we choose to give it. Time flies, enjoy living in the present moment.
Dunne lays all his cards on the table, the best way he knows how; through witty humour and with the utmost integrity. This record paints a picture of crashing into the deep end, before coming to surface. “I pushed a lot harder on this record to be really raw and vulnerable.” “I wanted you, after 40 minutes, to really know me. And I think if you listen to this record, you’ll know me by the end of it. You might not like me. But you’ll definitely have a good idea of who I am.”
Collectively, the album provides listeners the opportunity to put life into perspective: “I think if we intersect in our perspective or our view of the world, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship,” Dunne explains. I’m certainly not screwing around anymore – there’s no time for that. If it’s love, you’ll know.” A singer for the ages, Dunne explodes with passion while telling his story through life’s greatest medium.
Stream the album below:
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