Artist: David Brookings

EP: ‘Hard Times’

Veteran pop-alt rock musician, David Brookings is effortlessly proving his relatability during the present challenging times with the recent release of two of his most enthralling songs from his upcoming full-length album, ‘Mania at the Talent Show,’ which is set to be released on November 12. The L.A.-based singer-songwriter unveiled the sentimental, character-driven tracks, which include ‘Hard Times’ and ”Gett Off (My Mind),’ as a preview EP. The tunes emotionally highlight the cautious way that he contends with the anxieties and fears of coping with such contemporary difficulties as COVID-19 and lost love.

‘Hard Times’ is a stellar, standout song that perfectly captures the bleak, unsettling spirit that has developed throughout the world during the current pandemic. The atmospheric mid-tempo track highlights the conflicting feelings that are driving societies around the globe: the need to be cautious in in order to resume the lives they led before COVID changed the world, while also feeling stress about the state of their health.

Brookings croons universally relatable and contemporary lyrics that question how much more can people take in the title hard times. He also soothingly reassures his listeners that even though there’s outrage about what’s happening, everything’s fine. The artist also highlights on how many people want to move on with their lives, but are also struggling to survive. With the support of alluring interweaving of dominant pop-infused rock guitar strumming and piano riffs, the engaging tune has the potential to become a commercial hit.

The artist proves his true versatility as a musical storyteller with the spirited song, ‘Get Off (My Mind),’ which reflects on the melancholy feeling that many people experience of never being able to truly get over their first love. Inspired by the innocent, jangling pop tracks that were popular in the 1960s, the musician soulfully croons his admission that he’s still pining for the woman he once loved and the times they shared, and will always be nostalgic over their past together.

While different in theme from ‘Hard Times,’ the vintage-driven ‘Get Off (My Mind)’ is still powerfully relatable, as Brookings sings about the woman he once loved still always being on his mind and wanting to get back together with her, even though he knows it would never last. His pondering of why he’s still thinking about, and has lingering feelings for, her are supported by light-hearted wailing of the pop-rock-inspired guitar riffs.

‘Hard Times’ and ‘Get Off (My Mind)’ are the perfect examples of Brookings’ versatility and mastery as a musician, as he effortlessly takes artistic license with stories inspired by his life to create pop and rock songs that all of his listeners can relate to, no matter what kind of life they lead. Many of his tracks are so relatable because they contend with situations that he’s encountered with his family members and other people in his life, including learning how to contend with global health concerns or overcoming a romantic love he lost earlier in his life. Driven by the atmospheric, sentimental interweaving of pop-rock guitar strumming and piano riffs that feel both contemporary and timeless, the singer-songwriter’s newly released character-driven tunes are sure to become commercial hits and favorites amongst his established fans.

For more information on Brookings, visit his SoundCloud and Apple Music pages.