Jay Brannan is feeling things. Big things.
It’s possible you’ve heard of Jay Brannan, the out-n-proud singer-songwriter who also appeared in Shortbus, John Cameron Mitchell’s arty-raunchy film about sex and such.
But if you don’t know Brannan’s music, I encourage you to give it a try. He makes contemplative, lovely folk that tucks explosive emotion inside gentle sounds.
A perfect example is his new single “Rob Me Blind,” which is about his willingness to love a guy even though he knows it will be f**ked up.
And I get that, you know? I understand it when he sings, “‘Simple boys make better boyfriends’; that just isn’t true And time will tick ’til you can see there’s no simple in loving you.” Sometimes, red flags feel like a signal to charge, not a warning to stop.
But on the surface, this song sounds like your local vegan bakery. There are light drums and Brannan’s tenor croon, and it’s all very peaceful. The contrast with the lyrical meaning is fantastic.
And the sexy video is great, too:
I love the imagined passion here. Who hasn’t dreamed of dating the hottie on the elevator? And the fact the we’re seeing this fantasy while the lyrics assume the relationship will be terrible just adds to the intrigue.
So there you go: The folk stylings of Jay Brannan, who should really be a bigger star.
Previously: Listen to Brannan’s awesome covers album, including his version of “The Freshman” by The Verve Pipe
Mark Blankenship tweets as @IAmBlankenship. He once made eye contact with a guy through the window at Starbucks, and the guy came inside to talk to him. They went on a walk, and the next day, they went on a date. There was kissing. Nothing much happened after that, but it was fun, and the video for “Rob Me Blind” reminds him of that story.
