Sugar Hill Records has announced the March 29th release of Brian Wright's House on Fire. While this is the first label release from the Waco, TX native, he has built a firm base of fans within and beyond the music industry with two previous releases and tireless touring in the US and Europe.
Unlike previous releases, which were both recorded in the studio with a band, House on Fire approaches the recording process in a much more relaxed and reflective manner, with Wright playing every instrument himself and handpicking his prolifically written songs into a mindful, well-curated collection.
And make no mistake, this album truly is about the songs. Gems like "Mean ol' Wind" and "Live Again" convey the tenderness of the soul which very few songwriters can capture. "Striking Matches" and "The Good Dr." bring the driving sound of a cross-country bound train, bound for heartache or redemption. "Maria Sugarcane" paints with a Southern Gothic brush that would make Flannery O'Connor proud.
"When people ask what I sound like, I usually say I'm somewhere between Woody Guthrie and Velvet Underground," says Wright. "This album finally allowed me to make the music the exact way it was in my head."
After spending his early twenties on the Austin/Waco/Dallas bar circuit, playing everything from punk to covers, Wright flipped a coin to decide his future home, either New York City or Los Angeles. Going West won the day. Today, when not touring, he resides in Los Angeles where he is a fixture in the LA music scene. For the last six years he has been the front man and lyricist for his band Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies, a band that has gathered a devoted audience across the country.
Wright has plans to launch the record with a full showcase schedule at SXSW in Austin plus a string of nation-wide tour dates.