Spady Brannan: Spady

Richard “Spady” Brannan is one of Nashville’s unsung heroes. He’s a seasoned studio musician, touring bassist, and respected songwriter who’s penned hits for artists as diverse as Dolly Parton (“Thinking About Love”) and ex-Abba vocalist Agnetha Faltskog (“Once Burned Twice Shy”) but never once in a career spanning over 30 years has he stepped up to the mic himself — until now, that is. On a collection of eleven autobiographical tunes that fall somewhere between country confessional and ’80s rock balladry, Spady’s passionate lyrics trace a winding path through a tumultuous relationship which ultimately ends in heartache. It’s not shattering any moulds, but this self-titled debut is an accomplished effort which meanders pleasantly from the Springsteen-style straight-ahead-rock opener “Trouble With Words”, through the mandolin and dobro country pickin’ on “Some Day”, and finally comes to rest with the tragic “I Did”, a soulful country ballad initially recorded by Trisha Yearwood.