A newfound force on the Philly indie rock scene, Bren is a person and a band, an artist making anthemic, heart-on-the-sleeve songs rooted in emo, punk, and modern rock. Led by singer-guitarist and songwriter Bren Grealish, the project got its start in the Lehigh Valley scene before relocating to Philly and releasing last year’s impressive Too Late For Flowers, their debut EP.
That record gets showcased in this performance for the Key Studio Sessions — which finds Bren backed by Rachel Wild on drums, Adam DaSilva on guitar, and Jake Soojian on bass — but the set starts off with a brand new song, “Madison.” Awash in twinkling guitars and a brisk rhythm, Bren says it is “about yearning for better, in a gay way.” The song is subtle but powerful, and hits streaming services on August 7th. The back catalog cuts in the session are equally impactful, with “Breakup Body” reflecting on the ways we transform (metaphorically and physically) in the aftermath of heartbreak, while “Happy Birthday” is a vignette of someone adrift in loneliness as they turn 20, its stormy piano and bold crescendo perfectly capturing that age when every emotion is enormous.
Watch Bren’s Key Studio Session below, and be on the lookout for a summer run of shows that kicks off this Wednesday, July 17th, when Bren opens for Fred Mascherino at The Sellersville Theater. Her dates also feature a solo gig at Johnny Brenda’s on July 31st with Brittany Ann Tranbaugh, two dates at Musikfest in Bethlehem (a full band main stage set on August 3rd and a solo set at Lyrikplatz on August 11th), and a full band set at PhilaMOCA on August 31st. Get details and stay connected by following Bren’s Instagram, @whatthebren.