Jay Brannan
Jay Brannan ( born March 29, 1982 in Houston / Texas) is an American singer-songwriter and actor.
History
Jay Brannan is grown in medium conditions in Texas. He studied one semester acting at College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. After abandoning his studies Brannan moved to California in the hope of being able to appear as an actor. In Los Angeles, he devoted himself to his second passion: music. At the age of 20 he first took a guitar in his hand and began without instruction or guidance to write songs. Musical ideas he got while listening to the music of " long-forgotten singers ". After a nearly two-year stay in California, he moved to New York, where he lives today.
In 2002, a friend introduced him to a casting ad for the movie " Shortbus " in the " Backstage " Magazine attentive and Brannan, who was working as a receptionist in Los Angeles, sent his application tape. In the 2006 by John Cameron Mitchell turned and internationally acclaimed indie film Shortbus, he played the role of Ceth.
Musical career
His screen debut was praised in the media and helped to Brannan musical breakthrough: The song Soda Shop, which he sings as an actor in the film, has become the most downloaded tracks of film music. With numerous events related to the film, he started to play his songs. This gave him an international platform for his music. The artist has had numerous appearances and moonlighted as a proofreader for a translation agency.
As a singer-songwriter Brannan achieved considerable popularity with the help of the Internet in a short time. There he presented almost as soon as they were received, many of his songs to download or stream ready. Also well known were his own recorded videos, which he published on the Internet. These were seen on MySpace, Facebook and YouTube from about 4 million fans. About his affinity with the DIY ethics says Jay Brannan following: "If you 're able to do your work in a large geographic space available while still keep control of your music, your sound, your image and your identity can - why you should use this opportunity not the glorified and deceptive ideas, to sign a record deal, prefer? ".
In 2007 published Brannan Unmastered EP on his own label, Great Depression Records. A limited edition of 1,000 CDs - each copy with a different Polaroid photo of Jay - sold in one day.
In summer 2008, the album Goddamned appeared. Right after tours followed by the U.S., Europe and Australia. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Will Golden. The melodic folk songs in the classic singer- songwriter tradition are mainly arranged acoustic strings with occasional use. Thematically, the songs are pretty bleak. With a directness that would like to take no consideration for the faint hearted, Brannan told about ruined relationships, hypocrisy, religious hypocrisy and despair and places musically " a striptease of the soul " out. In the summer of 2009, the mini- album was released In Living Cover. It includes not only two original songs seven cover versions, including Blowing In The Wind by Bob Dylan and Zombie by The Cranberries.
Musical Style
Musically, Jay Brannan moved in the typical singer -songwriter style with elements of pop. A very reduced sound with mostly acoustic arrangements, minimalist instrumentation and melancholy, wistful vocal style to create an intimate atmosphere. This, however, is at odds with his hard lyrics. Brannan oriented to songwriters like Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell because he likes "the sound of the angry, sad women ." His musical sensibility is more parallels with Ani DiFranco, Lisa Loeb, Sinéad O'Connor, or Liz Phair.
Discography
Studio albums
- Goddamned (2008)
- Rob Me Blind (2012 )
EPs
- Unmastered (2007)
- In Living Cover (2009)
- Around The World in 80 Jays (2013 )
Movies
- 2006: Shortbus
- 2007: Detour to Happiness (Holding Trevor )