Brooks John Martin releases new LP

Coming out of Cedar Falls in Iowa, Brooks John Martin presents a career-defining release that feels both like the result of a musical vision that’s been years in the making as well as an artistic rebirth. A lifelong musician with family roots in jazz and song, his grandfather a jazz player, his mother and aunt both singers, John grew up surrounded by music’s emotional language. From piano at eight to guitar by fourteen and later playing in a string of bands, his musical journey has been gradually unfolding behind various aliases.

Now, for the first time, he’s releasing music under his own name and it’s his most authentic and compelling work to date. His new eponymous record, Brooks John Martin, isn’t a debut in the traditional sense; it’s his fifth full-length release, but the first to carry the full weight of his identity without the camouflage of monikers like Toast, The Blue Danes or Frank Hansen. As Brooks himself puts it, “It’s as authentic as I can be—age and experience makes you less self-conscious.” That honesty shines through the album’s intricate yet restrained arrangements, painting a widescreen landscape of grief, longing and flickering hope.

The album is built like a folk record that’s melodically warm and structurally familiar but framed by noir-tinged atmospheres and cinematic flourishes. It channels the output of artists like Woody Guthrie, Brian Wilson, Radiohead and Leonard Cohen, capturing a grandeur grounded in vulnerability. Recorded at Catamount Recording, the historic Midwestern studio Brooks now calls his own, the album trades slick sheen for an intimate aesthetic that amplifies its emotional impact.

Opened with “Tide Will Carry Me Away,” the shimmer of drifting synth textures is met by the bright strums of guitar and strike of drums as the track slips into a gently driving, pop-inflected indie rock scene. Capped by Brooks’ rich, emotive vocal performance, he casts an enchanting sound that’s moving, catchy and instantly memorable all at once.

Previously released single”Clear Blue Waters” offers a glistening ode to freedom, echoing the sun-soaked melancholy of California dreamers. The song feels like a folk pop postcard from a place that maybe doesn’t exist anymore but you still ache to find.

On “Breathe,” he leans into delicate country textures and exposes his undercurrent of anxiety, his dreamy baritone floating over piano and strings. Both tracks come paired with a cinematic video shot along the Pacific Coast Highway, populated by real-life drifters and wanderers. It’s an inspired touch with real people and true stories, captured in moments of movement and stillness, echoing the record’s themes os transient beauty, the urge to run and the weight of staying put.

On the darker end of the emotional spectrum sits “Straight Over Me,” a brooding, hypnotic outing that Brooks calls “one of the darkest songs on the album.” Its aching chord progression and mournful strings dig deep, a shadowy anchor to an otherwise light-dappled body of work, resulting in a gripping listening experience that’s impossible not to be moved by.

Other highlights on the record include songs like “Great to be Alive” with its bouncy piano backing and elegant, sweeping strings led by Brooks’ rich, expressive voice, crafting an uplifting jam that’s meaningful and engaging throughout. Closing the album with “Astronaut,” a spacey voyage of twinkling key tones and the crisp snap of drums form a transportive sound as playful melodic vocal leads glide above, creating a charming and upbeat finale to Brooks John Martin’s superb new LP.

Listen to Brooks John Martin below