Artist:     Bryan Haraway

Album:     Bryan Haraway

Label:     Melrose Artists

Release Date:     6.7.2019

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This is the self-titled debut from Americana, rock n’ roll leaning singer-songwriter Bryan Haraway. Recorded in East Nashville with Grammy-winner Chad Brown at the helm, the session features top-notch players and a surprisingly bright palette from Haraway, who recently received a near-fatal diagnosis of acute liver failure. The sound is fuller than most Americana albums, with layers of electric guitar, horns, and pedal steel, forming almost a wall of sound” on some selections. Underpinning it all are the detailed observations of Haraway, showing that he can appreciate the little things in life, with a gift for melody and hooks.

Haraway is new to solo work but hardly a newcomer. His Las Vegas-based rock band Part Time Criminals had moderate success opening for such acts as Bruce Hornsby. In that band, Haraway, in addition to fronting the band, was its principal songwriter, producer, booking agent and designer. He is of Cherokee heritage, and says, “When you start to learn where you come from, you start to pay attention to that culture. The colors…the growing up in the West…the horses…it’s all part of who I am.” Perhaps the closing “Jenny” best depicts what he speaks about in this quote.

Haraway kicks off with “We Get High,” in a pop rock mode as he points to simple joys like a hug in the kitchen at breakfast while bacon crackles in a nearby skillet. On the horn-drenched, Motown-flavored “Alive” he looks back on a breakup but focuses not on the dissolution, but when the connection was vital. He turns to his parents on “How It Is,” another big-sounding rock song where he thanks mom and dad for life’s lessons and their love.

It’s a very easy album to listen to as tempos mostly soar and hooks are right around the corner on most tunes. It doesn’t hurt to have some of the best musicians in Music City backing. Doug Lancio (Patty Griffin, John Hiatt, Gretchen Peters) is on guitars, Micah Hulsher (Margo Price) on keys, Jim Hoke (Paul McCartney, Dolly Parton) on horns, and Russ Pahl (Kasey Musgraves, Dan Auerbach) on pedal steel.

Haraway sings mostly about familial situations and relationships. He displays solid songcraft in this auspicious debut that runs for only a brief 34 minutes. He leaves you wanting more.

—Jim Hynes