(Photo Credit - Jack Bool)
I have to start with “Workin’ On It” because I missed this opportunity when it first came out. I have plenty of excuses, but I will keep them to myself unless someone is so interested that they must know. I will share that my “Workin’ On It” response to Patrick was, “It has remnants of the first two albums but a new intensity.” Ok, I misspoke, but again, I have plenty of excuses right now that I could lean on. Anyway, after hitting send, I started to feel stupid for using the word intensity. Most of my friends would laugh if I turned on Brijean and said, “Hey, you gotta listen to the intensity in this song.” Yeah, Brijean’s apathetic voice does not suggest intensity. However, pay attention to the build starting at the 1:58 mark and climaxing at 2:40. There are layers and a majorly upbeat rhythm that is intense for their southern California sound.
My wife and I have played “Workin’ On It” Radio so much that the song appears on almost every playlist I start. I think this is because we get that Brijean sense of humor. However, like “Roller Coaster,” it is just a snack before Macro comes out.
To be honest, I was a little surprised when I first listened to “Roller Coaster.” After listening to “Workin’ On It” many times, my brain was trying to figure out where this song fits. During my second listen, I thought, this song has to fade in from something else. The Macro tracklist has it after “Scenic Route,” the tenth song on the album, sandwiched between the only two we’ve heard so far. Then, I thought about the other Brijean albums. They are always journeys that I can compare to a novel. That would place “Roller Coaster” at the climax. It is the pinnacle point of the album.
When I listen to this song, I am drawn to the distortion. It is slightly stressful, a new experience for a Brijean song. “Ride the waves, the highs and lows.” I was initially interested in the song that “Roller Coaster” bled from. However, after a few listens, I wanted to know what it was setting me up for.
My thoughts are that I want more. My wife and I have been Brijean fans since the end of 2020 when I played Feelings a lot, trying to figure out the type of review it deserved. And due to a mix-up during our 2021 COVID Wedding, the album looped during the entire ceremony. Labor Day weekend in 2022, Angelo helped ease our anxiety during an unexpectedly colorful but wild journey. Brijean hits my wavelength like a psych-pop West Coast disco grassroots less-sardonic but still only half-serious Phish. Yes, I said it.
“Workin’ On It” and “Roller Coaster” are no exception. They are full of emotions but not too heavy because I can dance to them. They are humorous with a hint of sadness. They are Omm, a meditation, the “Accept what I am feeling, and now let it go” without the yogi. I relate. Now, give me more.
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