Brian Kalinec is readying for the release of a new album. It's titled The Beauty of It All and has a drop date of June 30th. But first, for those of you not yet familiar with the act in question, a bit o’ background.
Brian Kalinec
According to online sources such as his official website, Brian Kalinec is a Houston, Texas-based American singer-songwriter. His rockin’ resume includes two previous platters including 2007’s Last Man Standing and 2012’s The Fence. He has won the Big TopChautauqua Song Contest, the Songwriter Serenade Competition, second place in theWoody Guthrie Song Contest and was even a finalist in the UK Songwriting Contest. He has performed internationally and appeared on Rich Warren's Folkstage on WFMT in Chicago.
Signature Sound
Brian Kalinec’s signature sound is a blend of multiple music genres including Americana, adult contemporary, country, and folk. His music is often inspired by real life events.
The Beauty of It All
The Beauty of It All is a 14-track album of almost all original material. Here Kalinec leads the way on lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar. He is backed by an assortment of other artists including Patterson Barrett on pedal steel; Cody Braun on harmonica and mandolin; Michael Dorrien on electric guitar; Mark Epstein on bass and fretless bass; Dave Pearlman on pedal steel; Rankin Peters on bass; James Rieder on double bass and chamber strings; Pete Wasner on grand piano, fender rhodes and Synth, Hammond B3, accordion, and Wurlitzer; Dirje Childs and Madelaine Herdeman on cello; producer Merel Bregante on drums, percussion, and background vocals; and Jen Grove, Sarah Pierce, Kelly Hanshaw, David Hanshaw, Jordi Baizan, Ken Gaines, and Madelaine Herdemen also on background vocals.
Track by Track
The second selection is “Big Hearted.” This one was co-written by Grammy Award winner Steve Seskin and Kate Schutt. It focuses on kindness and poses a positive possibility without passing judgment.
The next number is “Breakfast at Midnight.” It’s a calm cut about the life of someone who works on the road, perhaps even a traveling troubadour. To a lesser extent, you may feel it even speaks to the routines which we all develop.
“Two Roads” is a tuneful tale of a pair of neighbors who have chosen separate paths in life. It explores their obvious differences while also songfully showing that we are all a part of humanity and perhaps may make many different choices in life but still share commonalities.
He said: “Our perspective of life is greatly shaped by our experiences. We learn from the things we see, but we may not understand or even be aware of the lives of others around us. Until we do become aware, we cannot appreciate what each human being can contribute to the world. Ultimately, the cruelty of discrimination against anyone makes us a poorer, less just, and less knowledgeable society.”
Kalinec continued: “I grew up in the north end of Beaumont, TX, but this story could've taken place in almost any town in the US at that time. In our immediate area, our street was the most southerly one with white residents. On the south side of our backyard fence was a series of large, adjacent African American neighborhoods extending all the way to downtown.”
He concluded: “When our subdivision was built in the 1950s the builder constructed a continuous six-foot redwood fence which spanned the entire 20-house block on the back property line of our backyards. This song explores the relationships and regrets related to that fence, as observed through the eyes of a child and reconsidered often as an adult. The accompanying video reminds us of the continuing struggle for equality and racial justice through the past century and a half. Everything in this song happened and is as true as I know it to be.”
The sixth songful serving is “I’d Never Expect It.” This song might be overshadowed by its placement. Nevertheless, it still has its own little identity.
“Pizza and God” is another fun little number. It focuses on being thankful for what we have regardless of if some others have more. “Overcommitted” demonstrates Kalinec’s versatile songwriting skills, and his solid signature sound. Again, this tune too might be overshadowed and not get as much press but it nonetheless earns it inclusion on this release.
“Fix It Man” is the final focus track. It is a lovely little song about an older handyman who presents the perfect picture of perseverance. Also included is “If You’d Only Asked Me”. It is yet another track on which he tunefully touches on struggling with personal perseverance.
The twelfth track is “Full Moon Window.” This is another cut which was obviously born of personal experience and the realizations that come with the wisdom gained from being on this planet for a while. “The Wind” blows in next. This one was co-written with Mando Saez. The pair effectively presents a musical metaphor that eloquently expresses a point about inner strength and our ability to perservere.
The closing cut is “River of Kindness.” This song is about our ability to set aside our differences to demonstrate the decency we have within us. It’s one final example of Kalinec’s songwriting skills, and the effective musicianship of everyone on the album.
Overall…
Overall, this album is a breath of fresh air in many ways. The cuts are comforting, clever and musically solid in composition and performance. The creative musical messages resonate with modern-day times with reflective yet somehow universal lyrical lessons that often teach but never lecture. In a world where people all too often point the finger everywhere but in the mirror, Kalinec focuses on the ability we all have to aid, appreciate, unify, and persevere to improve even our everyday existence. In essence, the album focuses on the strength we have to overcome life’s stumbling blocks and recognizing every single step we take to move forward. So, check out Brian Kalinec’s new album and experience “The Beauty of it All.”
(Photo by Kerri Clark)