Four Songs by Tobacco Brown

By Keir Nicoll

Four Songs is the latest EP by Vancouver’s talented singer-songwriter Kevan Schell AKA Tobacco Brown. His vocals are captivating yet gentle- tasteful and discreet. The impressive instrumentation intensifies the themes of freedom and fullness as he cavorts his way through love, deceit, heartache and ribaldry. Here is a taste of what Tobacco Brown offers you.

First track, Judy, opens with sparse guitar and drums. Then a lowing, dulcet voice chimes in, bemoaning the failures of Judy's life in nautical terms. Woefully repeating Judy's name, calling out his love to her. Trying to save the world and wondering how it can be done. Then there are some nice, bluesy guitar licks. Instructions to paint your nails and have some fun. Because, really, what is to be done?

New Lies starts much more upbeat. Multiple guitars. Still a laid-back approach to vocals. The writing on the wall's saying it's a bad day. The question of religiosity and, it appears, drugs. There are some subtle harmony vocals here. Some beautifully reverb heavy guitar-licks too. “People don't change, they  just get new lies.” The profundity of this lyric is painful. It shows how little we can change, in our lifestyles or patterns, when we think we can. Maybe, it's a warning to stay out of that cycle. Or a wish.

The next song, Wait For Me, has a more syncopated beat, with an off-time guitar-line and drum-kick with sticks. There is some feeling of waiting for the song to kick in at the beginning and this is fulfilled as all the rest of the instrumentation fully comes in. More of an outright guitar-solo in this song, still with the question of “Did You Wait For Me,” again and again over-top of it. It makes you think of when you were talking to someone – if you listened – or not. It's a very picky-uppy kind of song, that then gets kind of heavy, with the constantly-intoned question, getting madder at the thought of losing the one who you were hoping would wait for you.

The last and final entry of this strong outing is As The Day Breaks, which immediately says, nothing is lost and nothing is found. The day is breaking and his vocal delivery is free and open. There are beautifully dulcet keys in this piece. They are stickering a Ferarri and it seems rebellious and possible. Passing the bottle and getting to the bottom of what it is to be awake as the day breaks. More of the keys – it sounds like a rhodes – round out the song. 

The typical stories of relationships successes and failures made fresh and new by a voice that is speaking from his own experience – making those things seem not so typical anymore. Four Songs is an excellent testament to Tobacco Brown’s multifaceted skills and grasp on his craft. 

You can purchase this EP on vinyl in Vancouver at Redcat Records and Neptoon Records OR at www.tobacco-brown.com and order a copy directly from the artist.