Brandon Isaak: Lookin’ Out of My Window to See a Blues-Filled World
By Ken Wallis | The Sound Cafe Journal
Photo Credit: Ken Wallis.
From an interview on BluesSource Canada with Ken Wallis
Brandon Isaak has his thumb on the pulse of what’s going on in our modern times. He knows how to capture the essence of the good and the bad, and feels it’s a musician’s mandate to create topical songs from the current state of society.
He turns all that into a positive, uplifting album entitled Lookin’ Out of My Window. This is Brandon’s eighth solo release, and it follows up with the energy that his previous albums encompassed. The songs on this album are deeply personal to him, dealing with today’s trials that the human race faces in this modern, fast-paced world.
Brandon’s early desire to be a musician was sparked by the early rock bands that created bluesy-style music. He started researching where the origins of rock began. He discovered what Willie Dixon said was the truth: “The blues are the roots and the other musics are the fruits.”
"I thought Led Zeppelin wrote a lot of those songs," Brandon laughs. "Then I realized they were singing old blues tunes, and that led me to discover where all that music really came from."
Growing up, music was a force in his family’s life. The radio was always on, and his father was a musician who passed on the passion to perform. His father, at 91, still performs the occasional gig, and Brandon has developed his father’s passion for music.
And that passion continues to burn inside Brandon, but it’s not only about music. His creative interests also include painting and sculpting, but music is always at the forefront.
"I love creating something out of nothing," he declares. "It's just how I've always been."
Last year, his Walking with the Blues album garnered five nominations at the Canadian Blues Music Awards, and he won three awards: Electric Blues Album of the Year, Blues Song of the Year, and Blues Guitar Player of the Year. With self-effacing humour, he explained:
"I'm not really used to winning. It was a fantastic evening, and it's pretty special to look up and see those awards sitting there."
A Single That Captured the Essence of the Album
The single World Got the Blues contains lyrics that speak loud and clear. Documenting our society, he sings:
“These are hard times, Y’all know it’s trueSeems like the whole wide world’s got the blues.”
But Brandon’s not the creative type to drop a pessimistic viewpoint without any positive solutions.
"Let's do better, you know we can. We the people, well we'll make a stand.”
Brandon harbours the belief that it’s a duty to highlight the world as it is, and not through rose-coloured glasses.
Brandon asserts: "I like to have something to say with my music. The whole world's got the blues these days. There are wars going on, hard times, and so much uncertainty. It's important for artists to offer another point of view."
Brandon Isaak: Looking Out the Window Through His Daughter’s Eyes
Every songwriter relies on different themes to kick-start their music. Brandon found a new motivator while crafting his songs. It came from an unexpected source: watching his daughter experience her first experiences with love.
“As a songwriter, I've written about love from my own perspective many times," he says.
"But seeing someone young go through those experiences with fresh eyes gave me a whole new perspective.”
He sings:
“She’s blues proofAnd I could go on and onCause she knows it's only true loveThat won't ever do her wrong”
This motivator sparked some very personal songs that came from that perspective. The album is a nifty balance of social issues and emotional feelings.
A Co-operative Approach to Music
Brandon Isaak is a skilled composer and lyricist. But he doesn’t craft his music totally alone. Brandon relies on his band, Saints of Swing, for feedback and input. He usually records demo tracks of his songs and plays all the instruments himself as a sort of marker for what’s to come. The feedback is an important aspect of Brandon’s music.
"I give them the basic draft, and then they'll say, 'Let's try this' or 'Let's go there.' That's what makes it so awesome. You've got these experts in their field contributing to the music.”
Keyboardist Daryl Havers plays some great sounds on the album.
"He hears everything. A lot of the ideas, even for the horns, were influenced by his playing."
The co-operative approach results in a polished sound that meshes all the instruments into a wave of professional sound.
Album Cover Captures the Mood
Painted by acclaimed artist David Goatley, the image of Brandon looking through a window makes a bold statement that reflects the mood of the album.
"It captures not only the likeness but the soul of the person," Brandon says of Goatley's work. The original photograph was taken at a museum in Parksville, British Columbia, during one of Isaak's performances.
The artwork serves as a visual extension of the music itself, inviting listeners to pause, reflect, and consider the world around them.
A Fresh Look Built Upon a Previous Album
Brandon’s previous album Walkin’ with the Blues was the forerunner for his new album. He views Lookin’ Out of My Window as a natural growth from that recording. Brandon loves the eclectic blues on both albums, but he’s not willing to sit still, and he’s already looking at a different approach for this next album.
"I'm writing for a new record now. It's going to lean more into 1940s and 1950s jump music. It'll definitely be a departure from the last two."
And that’s what being an artist is all about: continually evolving and searching for something new and fresh.
Lookin’ Out of My Window is a remarkable album. Combining social issues and human emotions as a theme creates a wonderful listening experience. One can’t help but wonder if more awards are on the horizon.
The Sound Cafe Journal
Where the story behind the music matters.
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