Cory Branan with Michael Claytor

Wednesday November 9

7pm

$12 adv // $15 dos

Cory Branan

“I pulled these songs from a batch of fifty that mostly predate the pandemic, and all of these felt kin. They’re about doubt, loss, depression, general stir-craziness.

“But I knew I didn’t want to make a record that pondered itself, I wanted it to have motion, so I gave this record an overarching rule: The sadder the song, the more it had to move and groove. That’s how the country weeper ‘That Look I Lost’ got the Motown treatment. I wanted you to nod along, then after listening ask, Wait, what am I shaking my ass to?”

When I Go I Ghost is Cory Branan’s sixth full length release. His first was 20 years ago: He ain’t banging out pulp here. A writer’s writer, Cory’s lines grip like a page-turner, giddy with interior rhyming and wordplay:

I took a shower but the shower didn’t take

– “O’ Charlene”

the kinda wreck I recognize

– “C’Mon If You Wanna Come”

You post a picture, notice the mixture

The camera captures

That ‘before and after’ look in your eye

– “C’Mon If You Wanna Come”

When she’s staring down the bad end of the barrel

Of yet another long and loaded night

– “That Look I Lost”

One propulsive song that jangles with hope is “Come On If You Wanna Come,” with lyrics about being too depressed – maybe too hungover – to venture out, accompanied by music that catches the buoyancy one feels after recovering. “’Come On’ is about as optimistic as I can get. We did all the fun Simmons 1980’s drum samples on there, and added concert toms, putting reverse gated reverb on the drums – an old ‘80s Cars-era trick. There’s Rickenbacker and a 12 string guitar. It’s a respite in the record. It evokes the Traveling Wilbury’s, though maybe a meth-y Wilburys.”

https://www.facebook.com/corybranan

https://www.corybranan.com/

Michael Claytor

Local legend, honorary cowboy, lyrical gymnast and one of earth's best kept secrets. Michael Claytor is the songwriter so, so many songwriters aspire to be. Clever and quippy, thoughtful and evasive, thought provoking and crystal clear in his message- there is not a Michael Claytor song you won't like.

https://www.facebook.com/Michael-Claytor-His-Friends-176094351474

See y'all at the show!