Bryan Fenkart's Imperfect Man

I'm disappointed in myself that it took me this long to find out about this phenomenal artist! Had I not gone to see Memphis on Broadway last weekend I would still be walking around in the dark as to who Bryan Fenkart is!I hate to say that when most people go to see a Broadway show, and an understudy card falls out of the playbill, they’re a bit disappointed, but I always try and remain optimistic no matter what. By the time he had finished his first song I was hooked and couldn’t wait to hear him sing more.

After the show was over I managed to do a bit of research on my phone and get a better grip on who Bryan Fenkart was because, as you all know, music is my thing and if I’m missing out on a stellar artist then I’m not doing my job! This is what I found out about him that everyone should know: Bryan’s debut album, Imperfect Man, was released in 2006 (and now you can thoroughly understand why I'm so disappointed in myself for not finding out about it sooner!) and is available on iTunes for everyone's listening pleasure. If you make your way over to youtube and search “Douchebag Beach” you can see him in an online mini series from 2008. It’s about three bro’s from north Jersey who are looking for love at the Jersey Shore. Needless to say this miniseries was filmed way before the grenade whistle made its debut on Jersey Shore this past week, and is the original series of Jersey’s finest looking to find their soul mates at the shore. Personally I think MTV ripped them off. If you keep searching you can also find a handful of live performances and a few interviews from Memphis, if you’re looking to find out more about this sensational singer and songwriter. So, on that note, let’s get back to the album!

Imperfect Man is a mix of Dashboard Confessional, John Mayer and Something Corporate (google them if you don't know who they are) with a hint of some southern twang to it and the end result is Bryan Fenkart's Imperfect Man! His lyrics dive deeper than any sort of commercial song and paint a beautiful lyrical picture from start to finish with no doubt of uncertainty. So, before my Starbuck's starts to get cold, I'm going to give you all the rundown of this incredible album from start to finish, song by song, until you all have the urge to run out and buy it; and trust me, by the end of this I'm hoping you're all on iTunes clicking the 'preview' button! As always you’ll get a song by song description from me as well as my favorite lyrics; so, ready? Good, here we go! 

Tuesday Morning- The intro track on the album brings a burst of light through your speakers and immediately launches your head first into the lyrical journey that Bryan paints for his listeners. The fact that the lyrics tell a story is one of the many things that make this song stand out from the rest, and really bring this scenario to life for everyone. Two lovers who find themselves in a short tryst and time seems to fly by faster when they’re together as opposed to when they’re thinking of each other watching each other from across the room.

Favorite lyric: “You took my breath away that’s why I can’t read you tonight’s lullaby”

Hammer To Fall- The musicality of this song brings such a smile to my face. Being unable to let go of your latest love is never easy, but Bryan brings the realizations to life in this song. The guitars melt together perfectly with the piano and create a sound that is so beautifully aesthetic that when the small violin section makes its way into the bridge of the song you can actually feel yourself melt in your seat. The story that he tells about waiting for this hammer to fall and crush the wall that’s keeping him from walking out of one phase of his life and into another is heart wrenching, despite how beautiful the song is.

Favorite lyric: “There must be something better than reading myself these letters and getting drunk off of cheap wine”

I Miss You- Probably one of my favorite tracks on the album, musically and lyrically just because of how the lyrics are strung together with the piano and guitar. The word choices, although simple, are powerful and pack a mean punch with the message. It’s simple enough to say that he’s singing about someone who he misses, and that no matter how hard he fights or tries he’s still not going to be able to win her back or win the fight because it just wasn’t meant to be. The piano brings a really soothing effect over the whole song with the light notes and slight resonance of the guitar in the background.

Favorite lyric: “And now all of my prayer’s sound like half assed dares to a coward who won’t show up”

Imperfect Man- The title track with a bit of country love for good measure. The twang of the guitar with the piano (see the piano becoming a constant part of the album’s sound?) and the lyrics really bring a solid story to the listener. The soulfulness of the song combined with the heartfelt lyrics really stabilizes the message trying to be conveyed in the song. This song would be perfect to see live just because of the energy it would bring to a live audience with an acoustic and electric guitar to compensate for the piano. The country vibe of the bridge really makes you close your eyes and just feel the music pumping through your veins.

Favorite lyric: “I’ve given up the air I used to breathe, there’s a heart shaped blood stain on my sleeve”

My Prayer- The first of two ballads on the album that really tug at your heartstrings and bring tears to your eyes. This song is all piano, violin and drums, and when I tell you the first time I listened to this song I was in my car and kept wiping my eyes because of how emotional it made me; emotional in a good way. This isn’t the romantic ballad that makes girls go “awe he’s so sweet” but emotional in the sense that he’s calling out to God to watch over him, watch his soul and to find out how close he is to Him. The violins in the bridge are a perfect fit and any other instrument wouldn’t have fit as well as they do.

Favorite lyric: “No my faith’s not gone, it’s just a different kind”

Independence Day- Another song with a country vibe that you’d think is about the fourth of July but it’s really not, it’s about inner independence. The song is strictly acoustic, just Bryan’s voice and the guitar which gives a feeling of inner peace and personal devotion to the song. It really is a peaceful song and if you close your eyes you can feel the emotions wash over you and bring you to your own place of utter happiness (I really don’t mean your ‘happy place’) but it will make you feel joy yet a slight tinge of pain for the emotions in his voice.

Favorite lyric: “Got a recipe for a brand new me but I don’t follow directions well”

Smoke And Rage- By far the most country song on the album, but the most rough around the edges. This is almost like the no hold barred song country song about war, death and a man whose secrets are going to remain his own because he dies in war and doesn’t get to see his new son and takes his secrets to the grave with him. I really can’t pick one set of lyrics from this, because the lyrics in the chorus are incredible, and there’s a line in one of the verses that I love as well, so when you listen to this song, try and pick out the important lyric in the chorus and get back to me.

Favorite lyric: “And he stares at the photo of his newborn son, and a question mark is painted on his gun”

Empty Handed- My second favorite song on the album because it is lyrically genius! In a video I found on youtube, Bryan describes this song as “a song about me being emotionally unavailable in romantic relationships.” As long a description that might be, it’s absolutely the truth about this song, and it’s written between the lines of the lyrics. He’s there, but he’s not really there; where his body is, isn’t necessarily where is mind is. It’s almost like he knows he wants to run but he also has this list of reasons to stay even though he knows that as well as him and this person might fit together he can’t fulfill her dreams and make her happy in the end. Lyrically this song is fabulous and with the piano and the saxophone in the bridge it’s emotionally gut wrenching because you can see how perfect they are yet you know they won’t last; he knows he’s going to give his heart but she’ll be empty in the end because he can’t make her dreams come true.

Favorite lyric: “If we’re supposed to meet again then time will stop and space will bend”

If Only- Bring on the guitar solo! I love a good guitar solo, and what better song to have one in! This song has a jazz vibe to it with the guitar, piano, and saxophone and the extremely audible punchy bass line. It’s almost like this song is the aftermath of ‘Empty Handed’ because of the way the lyrics are structured and his choice of wording. This is another song I’d love to see performed live because there are all the elements of a live band that could make this so exciting and expressive.

Favorite lyric: “And meanwhile, she’ll smile, and wonder just where he is sleeping”

Expected- Another fabulous country song and you can tell by the harmonica in the opening notes. The loving way that the lyrics are sung really express the heartfelt meaning behind the song about this love that wasn’t expected to begin yet the ending was known; knowing that it wouldn’t last. It really has a lot of country to it, more than ‘Smoke And Rage’ which was more of a hardcore country song I guess you could say, where this is more of a cowboy hat, horseback riding country song. It’s more melodic and his voice really lassos the epitome of country in the chorus.

Favorite lyric: “Sharing moon blue light with on a life without a past, on a girl I thought might last”

Kristyn’s Crying- I should have had a box of tissues on hand when I was listening to this song, because it is the ULTIMATE tear jerker on the album! Strictly piano and violin on this song, this is without a doubt the most emotional song on the album solely because of the nature of the story being told. I don’t want to give away too much of this song because of how beautiful it is, but when you have a sensational voice singing about a little girl whose mommy had to leave because she was fighting with her daddy, tears are bound to be the end result. He is almost the fly on the wall in this song, because he wants answers and wants to help her but doesn’t know if he can and doesn’t know how. I cried, and I continue to cry every time it comes on my iTunes because it is another one of my favorites.

Favorite lyric: “Though these words may fail, the saddest fairytale still will come to a close”

Wake Me Before I Die- Another harmonica loving country song that is yet again, one of my favorites. I think this song is the truth about life because it is about anything and everything that has ever crossed my mind at least. It’s honest and heartfelt and basically is the story of life, you search and search and come up empty handed because no matter how hard you search you’re going to have to figure life out as you live it. I love singing along to this song, despite my horrid inability to sing, it’s fun, light hearted and just another well written and lyrically strong song.

Favorite lyric: “So raise up that curtain and I’ll put on one hell of a show”

So ladies and gents, there you have it, my rundown of Bryan Fenkart’s album ‘Imperfect Man’ from start to finish. I hope this encourages you to go out, buy it, or buy it on iTunes because if you don’t buy it you’re missing out on something spectacular. Search him on youtube, check out some of his past live performances and let me know what you think. If you’re in the New York area, make sure you go see Memphis, I can’t stress this enough, you WILL be amazed and you will have gotten your money’s worth! For more on Bryan you can head over to his website www.bryanfenkart.com where you can get info on him as well as get linked to his facebook, myspace, and twitter pages. If you have a twitter, follow him and stay in the loop. It’s been said that he’s recording album number two, which leaves me VERY excited!

Until next time,

Don’t forget to SING!