Using an acoustic guitar as a catalyst, Brandon has meshed an interesting blend of styles to create a unique voice, he has often described as “Urban Folk”.
Strong references to western swing, country and even southern swamp are running through the veins of the music here. It’s not an easy genre to define, but Alternative Country is close, acoustic rock’n roll.
A sense of minimalism comes through with often sparse instrumentation of only guitar, double bass and drums.
Songs such as Babysitter and Blood into Water could even be considered as a skiffle band.
Stephen Brandon met audio engineer Maya De Mello in a shared flat, (WG) in Friedrichshain Berlin during her study time. After a few beers Maya invited Brando into one of the lush recording rooms at Funkhaus in Nalepa Strasse, in her rare down time sessions. In two, three-hour sessions, Brandon along with Berlin legend drummer Kay Luebke, laid down the tracks together live. Another Berlin Legend, Jonathan Robinson of the Rathaus Ramblers fame, came in on a later session, carrying his double bass on the Strassen Bahn, nailed the bass parts in a three-hour session. Incredible to witness.
Eliska Propakova travelled from Prague by train and recorded the backing vocals on another three-hour recording session before travelling back to Prague by train on the same day and Brandon finished the rest with some electric guitar on another short session during busy touring schedules.
Everything was recorded on the fly. Maya displayed a cool easy-going approach throughout the time.
Eventually the tracks found their way to Bremen where Gregor Henning mixed and mastered with sensitivity, precision and expertise in his studio Bremen Nord.
Stephen Brandon lived as a Troubadour, performing his own songs for over a decade in bars and clubs, festivals, house concerts and busking on the street throughout Europe, whilst based in Berlin.