Singled Out: The Jaws of Brooklyn's Litebringer

09-26-2024

Seattle rockers The Jaws of Brooklyn just released their new single, 'Litebringer,' which was produced by Grammy-winner Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes), and to celebrate we asked Bryan Cohen to tell us about the track. Here is the story:

My biggest fear when I am writing a new album is not being able to top the last record. Honestly I think it's a feeling a lot of songwriters grapple with. So when I started writing new The Jaws of Brooklyn record I wanted a banger that had a similar feel to our song Fever from our first record. In December of 2023 I contracted COVID and ended up stuck in my bedroom with just a guitar. I started strumming and a Kinks like riff popped out. Like..."here I am". I knew it had a similar energy to Fever so I started playing with a 60's sounding chorus to match the riff. I was thinking of "Black Keys' Lonely Boy and using the words WRONG and RIGHT and I BRING THE LIGHT. That is when I remembered Pierce Brown's Sci Fi book Light Bringer. GOOD TITLE!!!!

I called my co-writer Chyee Howell and sang her the parts. "It's a breakup song" I said. "Nope" she countered "it's a ying/yang - relationship chemistry song." "You bring the wrong, I bring the right" "You bring the dark, I bring the Light" That unlocked the lyrics. Each character in the song brings a piece of chemistry to this relationship! It felt real and grounded.

Finally part of my process is to add something unexpected. A vocal break down or key modulation on a chorus can really add something surprising for the listener and move the song into a new level. For Litebringer I remembered the keyboard solo from Del Shannon's Runaway. I suggested our keyboard player, Dana Dysart, try something similar for the solo section. She came up with a very cool solo. She also added a nifty keyboard lick for the section when the band modulates the chorus which kick our singers voice into overdrive!

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more here