Brayden Mullins – What Do I Have to Lose (Single Review)

Brayden Mullins. An essential name and artist to this platform, with his minimalist flair and simple, to-the-point music. He has been featured multiple times here, and you can familiarise yourself with his material here.

He hails from Pound, Virginia, and began his music journey at the age of 17. The acts that have inspired him are quite vast, including artists like Keith Whitley, The Stanley Brothers, and James King. Bluegrass seems to have captured the core of his artistry, but other artists from other genres have also greatly influenced him, such as artists like Pink Floyd, Korn, Alison Krauss and Townes Van Zandt.

Brayden aims to captivate the mind and ear of the audience with his songs. He wants his songs to challenge the thinking of those who hear them and for them to fully understand the message behind what is being said. His compositions tend to be minimalistic with instruments like the acoustic guitar and fiddle, but they will bring you through the life of those within the songs through its lyrics and the story behind it.

In today’s review, we will encounter his latest single, titled What Do I Have to Lose?.

The song is full of emotional depth, even though it isn’t too complex in structure. The supporting timbre of the instruments definitely help to build a song that is quite striking and pure in its intent and delivery. There is extra instrumentation when it comes to the accentuation of the bars.

The lyrics are relatably profound and sung with a weariness to it, giving the song more emotional depth than what is already presented. There is a charming homeliness to Mullins’ sound, reflecting the cultural connotation of his genre.

This track has the ability to resonate with a lot of people, simply due to the relatability of the track and how the song structure isn’t too atonal or controversial. There is empathy and suaveness in the way the instruments are presented, and each instrument is well-mastered, giving each segment truly a time to shine.

Score/Excellent: What Do I Have To Lose? is a track that combines the skill of songwriting with the after-effects of music theory, leaving us with a soundscape that can be understood and felt by most. It is emotional, but not void in its distinctiveness.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

You can also keep up with Brayden Mullins on his official website.