John Brannen
The Good Thief
(Sly Dog)
First Appeared in The Music Box, March 2005, Volume 12, #3
Written by T.J. Simon
John Brannen is a singer-songwriter from coastal South Carolina with a rather
transparent devotion to Bruce Springsteen. On his debut The Good Thief,
he delivers a dozen original compositions in the Springsteen tradition including
the album’s best-written number When I’m Satisfied as well as Summer
in Savannah, which showcases vivid lyrics that paint a picture of a unique
American city. On Don’t Wanna Lose Like that Again, he even took the time
to nick the opening harmonica lick from The River. Elsewhere, hints of
Mark Knopfler’s days with Dire Straits permeate the track A Pair of Dice,
and shades of Nils Lofgren fill Waiting, particularly on its adept guitar
solo. Brannen’s biggest liability, however, is his sub-par voice, which sounds
like an off-key Roy Orbison or an old jalopy, puttering on an empty tank. His
mimicry of Springsteen’s guttural moan ruins otherwise decent compositions
including the album opener Witches Rain, and the addition of capable
background vocalists, genuinely talented support musicians, and top-notch
production only serve to accentuate his serious limitations. The saddest part of
The Good Thief is that Brannen is clearly a capable songwriter, producer,
and guitar player, and in the hands of a better vocalist — like, say,
Springsteen, Lofgren, or Knopfler — any one of these tunes could have been hits.
Unfortunately, Brannen chose to perform the songs himself. 
The Good Thief is available
from Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005 The Music Box