Jacob Brand – “Game Changer”
Jacob Brand – “Game Changer” – Single Review
Jacob’s a good guy…let’s get that information to ya up front. The whole scene of artists & creative-types is so filled with emotions that’s it’s always a fine line to walk in being a critic…it’s never my goal to discourage anyone from doing whatever they love – it’s actually quite the opposite…usually I aim at trying to get people to consider things from a different perspective in effort to help them become even stronger as they continue on doing whatever it is they love – make sense? Jacob gets it. His last single, “Beauty To Recognize” might not have been my own personal favorite tune of the year, but if it was yours I’d simply give ya a high-five and support that decision. What Brand accomplished with that song was no small achievement…it was well-performed, and he put his heart & soul into it; at the end of the day, that’s all anyone can do, and every time that you do it, you put yourself in a great position to win people over. I very much appreciate the fact that he doesn’t expect that to be everyone, and I love that he’s undeterred by that…if you dig what Brand creates, there is lots of room to jump on his bandwagon.
As a person that’s been doing what I do for as long as I can remember at this point, lemme tell ya…what is always going to matter more to me is the effort put in behind the results. If I like a song, that’s fantastic…don’t get me wrong, these playlists are built to hold plenty – but there are tons of great songs out there. What’s much more rare are the folks that determined to be the best they can be with their craft and their passions, regardless of how the results are perceived…the people like Jacob that continue to give everything they do everything they got for the pure love of the game before anything else. I’m much the same when it comes right down to it – every review I’ve ever written has gotten the very best I can write into it – and every day I get up, I do my best to outperform the day before. It doesn’t always happen – I’m as fallible as the next human-being – in fact, it was just last week where I learned I fell way short of the mark in writing some review I’d written for a film I was assigned to watch. It happens. As much as any of us might not like not being able to please everyone, that’s the reality of every situation. So forget all that stuff…do what you do because you love to do it, and if people like it, then hey – great.
From my perspective, his new single “Game Changer” stands a much better chance of being listened to. Again, to be clear, that’s not at all the end-all be-all of why we should create anything, but it can certainly be regarded as a step in the right direction if that’s what you’re looking for, and to be fair, most people are. We want to be heard, that’s pretty much a shared reality for all artists in some way. I still think there’s a large theatrical element to the way that Jacob’s making music, versus the typical way that most would write a song…and that’s really the difference between what someone’s going to be able to slide right into their existing playlists and have it fit, as opposed to a tune that’s going to stand out for not quite being like the rest. Obviously, there can also be a tremendous advantage in doing things differently too – I’d never dispute that – but in terms of finding his way to the masses or the mainstream, you want to bring things a bit closer to what they know or you’re looking at a more niche audience. Listening to “Game Changer” I can hear that he’s on the right path for sure – performance-wise, I’m still stoked on what he does, what he’s capable of, and his attention to detail. The dude can sing and there’s no doubt about that. Is he passionate about what he creates? Heck yes he is! These things matter in the long run. If I was Brand, I’d probably be looking at artists like…hmmm…I suppose folks like either Ben Folds, or even Owl City…these are two artists with highly different styles, both very expressive and artistic in their own way, and both had to make multiple moves throughout the course of their career in order to be heard. They both have their own theatrical threads to the music they create, and neither had success that merely happened overnight. Now they’ve both commanded lifelong careers, with some really good tunes and not so great tunes along their journey, but they’re still out there doing what they love each & every day. Jacob’s got the right ingredients without question…now it’s all about finding the right combination of how to use them in a way that’ll both keep him happy as an artist, and have his music reach people. “Game Changer” is quite possibly the tune that starts kicking that process into full gear…a moment in his own music history that serves as a genuine breakthrough, likely reflected right there in the hooks & title. Moments like these are crucial and critical for the pathway forward…being the artist you want to be doesn’t usually just happen overnight; it’s a process that takes constant refinement over the years, if you’re lucky enough to ever see that process stop at all. In fact, in my opinion, you’re even luckier if you choose to not let it stop, and continue to seek out something new you can add to your music next. It all starts with tiny but significant breakthroughs though, and I’d definitely be on the side of “Game Changer” containing at least a few for Jacob Brand. His main asset continues to be his desire to make music, entertain, and share it with you all – that’s something we can hear collectively in his songs, and that’s going to keep his fan-base truly excited to hear from him every time he puts out something new, because we know that he’s not just putting out another tune – he wants to be here doing what he does.
At the end of the day, I’d always way rather hear authenticity and desire than simply another song from someone out there going through the motions…Jacob’s got plenty of both of those things working in his favor, and while I’m confident that songs like “Beauty To Recognize” and “Game Changer” are where it all starts in his career, I’m even more sure this is far from where it all ends. Actually…I can prove that’s true…he’s got a brand-new full album coming out on April 15th called Beyond – so there’s no doubt that he’s making big moves with his music this year, and I’m positive he’ll continue to do so throughout the course of his career. He’s got the artist’s spirit, the right mindset & attitude to succeed in this business of makin’ music, and a sound of his own that has real identity to it…all of these things will add up to the right recipe when combined together over time, we’ve seen it demonstrated throughout the history of music. All it takes is a “Game Changer” or two & the light bulb comes on to illuminate the pathway to the kind of success you want to achieve and the audience you’re seeking out to enjoy & share it with you. We’ll be talking more about Jacob Brand as an artist, and his music, in a spotlight on the upcoming episode of SBS Live This Week coming out this month, so make sure to stay tuned for that so you can learn more about what he’s up to and how this “Game Changer” could change the game for his career.
Find music by Jacob Brand at Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6uZPm16vW5up5e3lGKtrJv
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