Brett Dennen - So Much More

Every now and then an artist emerges on the scene as if fully formed. The voice is distinct, immediate in its character. The songs feel like they truly belong to the singer. A level of self-possession animates the performances, delivers them right to your doorstep. Nothing feels forced . . . it just is. There's an aura of inevitability that surrounds the emergence of such artists. With the release of So Much More, Brett Dennen joins the ranks of those who fit this description. Others? Joni Mitchell. Rufus Wainwright. James Taylor. Patty Griffin. Steve Earle. John Mayer. It's a class of artists defined not by genre or by a level of success but by the character of their entrance. We open the door when they appear, and it's as if we were expecting them. No doubt, none of them have wanted to be described in such weighty terms. But it's not up to them. It's up to those of us on the receiving end to pass such judgments and to celebrate the occasion. Welcome, Brett Dennen.