Brian Borcherdt

Brian Borcherdt is an honest soul. You can just hear it in his voice. After being introduced to his solo work with last year’s Moth EP (a heartbreaking portrait of a close friend’s suicide), it was clear that Borcherdt isn’t afraid to explore the dark parts of his personality. Though the subject matter isn’t quite as heavy this time around, The Remains of Brian Borcherdt is as introspective as his debut, compiling 13 tracks of twisted love stories, thoughtful reminiscing and lessons in indulgence. The music is simple but effective (masterfully recorded by the House of Miracles’ Andy Magoffin and Borcherdt’s brother Adam), leaving the spotlight solely to Borcherdt’s words and beautifully gruff voice. Breathy, understated and completely his own, it’s Borcherdt’s vocal delivery that makes Remains such a good record. Some would have trouble pulling off lyrics this cryptic, but there’s enough mystery and melancholy in his vocal chords to tackle the fragmented language and difficult themes. Those who make the effort to assign their own meaning to the songs will get a whole lot out of this record and those who latch onto it will no doubt revisit Remains for years to come. On the surface, Borcherdt’s songs may seem fairly plain. But spend a little thought and a bit of time and the layers slowly start to show.