So Much More (Special Edition)

iTunes Review

Following the release of his eponymous debut, accolades orbited around Brett Dennen's androgynous voice — he soulfully inflects like Billie Holiday, Chet Baker, and Tracy Chapman. But where his debut exuded a sunny and playful vibe (right down to the watercolor album art that could've been painted by a children's storybook illustrator), the memorable parts of Dennen's sophomore album move more pensively with lyrics that reflect on the turbulent times of the George W. Bush administration. The aptly titled So Much More delivers on the title, diving deeper into troubled waters and surfacing with stronger songs about topics like dishonest politicians, unnecessary wars, ignored disasters, and poverty. In the opening folk-rocker "Ain't No Reason," Dennen touches on sweatshop labor, a.k.a. "slavery stitched into the fabric of my clothes." The title track refers to the outcome of the 2004 presidential election: "When I heard the news my heart fell on the floor/ I was on a plane on my way to Baltimore." Dennen even calls for a revolution in "I Asked When," the most poignant and political song here. But throughout So Much More, he manages to speak his mind and sing his heart out, keeping protest folk alive, mature, and enjoyable without standing on a soapbox.