It’s been a few years in the making but the long anticipated third album that Brett Kissel and I talked about last February has finally arrived. The debut single, and title track, “We Were That Song”, which was released in September, has become Brett’s highest charting single to date.

Brett Kissel Listening Session with Warner Music Canada. Photo by Els Durnford (@elsdurnford)

Track X Track with We Were That Song

(click on song title to listen to song on Spotify)

Track 1: We Were That Song

This uptempo track is actually a song about looking back at a love lost. The main character in the song hears a song that reminds them of a past love that makes them believe the love they let go was “the one”. The song is relatable by anyone who has ever been in a relationship. Remembering the good times, perhaps wishing you would’ve done more to keep the relationship alive but accepting the fact that it’s over.

*** Spoiler Alert *** in the music video the guy might get the girl back at the end of the song.

Track 2: Anthem

Anthem is defined as: a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group, body, or cause. This song has single written all over it, and it could become an Anthem in itself. A love song but opposite of the title track whereas it’s being sung and directed at a current love as a tribute to their greatness. Who wouldn’t like to have an anthem written about them?

Track 3: Guitars and Gasoline

This is probably the most country themed song on this album, even though it’s one of the edgiest songs I’ve ever heard from Brett. It follows that rural small town theme where bush parties, bonfires and music are the highlights of summer weekends. This song is infused with plenty of guitar riffs that will make it a staple at country parties for years. Although I don’t see this song as a single I do see this song as a key addition to Brett’s live show, this song needs to live on the stage so that it can burst out from the confines of a recording studio.

Track 4: Nights in The Sun

Brett looks rolls back the clock to his younger days in this song. His Nights in the Sun, so to speak, where he was a young Alberta teen going to parties, bonfires and drinking beer. Another relatable song, who doesn’t look back to their youth and laugh at some of the things they did? When you listen to the lyrics of this song we can all say that we’ve had, some may still be living their Nights in the Sun. As Grandpa Bear says at the end of the song “Anyone who says your golden years are in your 50’s, 60’s or even 70’s is wrong. Your golden years are when you’re young, with your friends, chasing girls, falling in love; those are the best years or as they say: your nights in the sun”

Brett Kissel @ We Day Ottawa 2017 (Canadian Tire Centre) Photo by Els Durnford (@elsdurnford)

Track 5: Between You and Me

This one is a straight up love song. If you’re looking for a song with a good groove to set the mood on a hot date with your loved one…well this one is it.

Track 6: That’s is How The World Ends

It’s not earthquakes, hurricanes, it’s waking up wondering if I’m ever going to see you again…that’s how the world ends. If you’ve ever had your heart broken, who hasn’t?, that’s how the world ends! Brett nails it in this song, because that’s exactly how it feels.

Track 7: Slow Me Down

This is a bit of a coming of age song. The subject of the song was a wild person, lives life in the fast lane, nothing’s going to stop them…except the smile of someone special. Suddenly they want things to slow down and only that person can slow them down.

Track 8: Cecilia

Anyone who knows Brett Kissel knows that his greatest loves in life are his girls, most especially his wife Cecilia. If you’ve ever talked to Brett about his family you can see that sparkle in his eye when he talks about Cecilia, and if you happen to be talking to Brett when she walks into the room it’s like the world suddenly stops turning and she becomes the centre of his universe for that moment. I imagine this is a song that represents Brett’s feelings when he’s headed home after a long tour and an extended time away from his family “I just gotta see ya Cecilia”. It’s songs like this that make Brett so real of an artist and allow him to connect so deeply with his fans.

Track 9: Shootin’ It

This song represents a new sound for Brett, it sounds like the style of song that Tim Hicks might record. This song is totally about a boys night out. Just hanging out, having a few beers, shootin’ pool, shootin’ the shit and plain old having a good time. This is one of those songs that you can visualize the music video when you close your eyes. I picture Brett and a bunch of his buddies from home getting together for a weekend in Nashville, perhaps the first time they’ve seen each other in a few years. Brett and his band on a stage keeping things rockin’ all night.

Dave Mustaine of Megadeth performs at Montebello Rockfest in 2017 photo Laura Collins

Track 10: Damn!

When Brett first hinted at a major collaboration on this album I was thinking Garth Brooks, or even George Straight but my mind honestly never considered it would be with Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. Before I got sucked into the country world I was a huge metal fan, still am to an extent (prefer the older stuff but still like to rock out once in awhile), so to hear that these two worlds were going to come together on a track was nothing short of exciting. Now that I’ve heard the track there’s only one thing I can say about it…DAMN! This song had better be the second single off of this album, it’s easily my favourite track.

Track 11: Drink, Cus or Fish

Ah yes the good ole country life, drinking, cussing and fishing. “I don’t trust nobody that don’t drink, cus or fish”, this is a fun song no doubt. This one will without question be one of those songs that I can totally see being performed live. I picture Brett singing the line: “I don’t trust nobody” and then pointing the mic at the crowd to finish the verse.

Track 12: God Made Daughters

Like I said above with track 8, Cecilia, the most important things in Brett’s world are his girls. Cecilia is at the top but in the last couple of years two more women entered his life, his daughters Aria and Mila. I know Brett and I know that to Brett the three girls in that photo above mean more to him than anything in this world and that Aria and Mila turned the Alberta boy I got to know 6 years ago into the man he is today. The lyrics to this song came straight from his heart and, no doubt, will be featured at weddings for years to come as the father daughter dance. It’s a beautiful tribute certain to bring a tear to the eyes of every father of daughters that hears it.

Track 13: Burger and Fries

Brett is joined by Charlie Pride on this emotional ballad. The story talks about a time where a couple used to go to the drive in for burgers and fries and cherry pies. But the relationship has changed over the course of their relationship and the couple doesn’t do the things they used to do together anymore even though the singer longs for those days again. This song could easily be a prequel to “We Were That Song”.
This song is a definite favourite on this album.

Overall this is a strong third, major label, showing from Brett. I first met Brett Kissel in September 2013, it was the night that the music video for “Started With A Song” went #1 on CMT. It was weeks prior to the release of his debut album, of the same name. In the years since I’m happy to have gotten to know Brett on and off the stage, as an entertainer, a friend and a loving father and husband to his girls.

We Were That Song is a great title for this album because it reflects the overall theme of the album which is coming of age. Since Brett released Pick Me Up in 2015 he and Cecilia have added two beautiful daughters to their family so this 27 year old has grown up a lot in those 2 years and this album reflects that.

Through each track we can see the battle of boy turning to man and man looking back and reminiscing on the good ol days with his buddies, missing them but then looking at the gifts in his life today and being thankful for what he has and experiences he was lucky enough to have had in his youth.

If you’re a fan of country music this album is a must for your library; buy it, stream it, download it here:

Brett I can’t wait to see what you’ve got up your sleeve for the next album.

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