Brandes explores love, loss and legacy with new record 'The Distance Between Dreams'
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- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Brandes – the musical alias of author and Labour MP Peter Bradley – has released his highly anticipated debut album, The Distance Between Dreams, marking a profound beginning to his musical evolution against his distinguished past.
Having crafted a name for himself in the political sphere and with his acclaimed book The Last Train – A Family History of the Final Solution (2022), Bradley, as Brandes, embarks on a deeply reflective and emotive musical journey. The Distance Between Dreams, explores the raw complexities of love, loss, and human connections through a collection of meticulously crafted songs. His music is imbued with the same honesty, depth, and historical resonance that defined his political and literary pursuits.
The name Brandes holds particular significance for Bradley. Reclaimed from his family’s heritage lost during the Holocaust, it is a tribute to his roots and the tragic history that shaped his identity. Brandes’s music is an act of reclamation—of both personal history and artistic expression.
The album’s musical style nods to a rich tapestry of influences like Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, and John Lennon. Brandes’s deeply reflective lyrics are complemented by sparse, haunting melodies, from the folk/spoken word style of his highly personal early singles to the indie-rock influence in tracks like the politically-inspired ‘From The Higher Ground’. The tracks combine elements of sombre introspection, intimate storytelling, and a profound connection to his own background and history.
Brandes’s shift from politics to writing and music represents an evolution of his storytelling ability, as he has transitioned from public service to the deeply personal realm of songwriting and the novel on which he is currently engaged as a follow-up to his non-fiction work. The album’s themes intertwine Bradley’s historical consciousness with universal emotions, making it not just a personal reflection, but a shared experience for anyone who has ever grappled with love, loss, and the passage of time.
Bradley, reflecting on his new musical identity, says, “My creative life has always been important to me, but until now, it had been pushed aside by other priorities: career, politics, family. Now, I’m able to devote my time and energy to writing and music and I feel very fortunate to have that opportunity. I hope my songs will be judged simply on their merits and on what they mean to those who hear them.”
The Distance Between Dreams transcends being and legacy, offering listeners a reflection of the human condition through the lens of personal history. With its deeply resonating rawness, Brandes’s music leaves an indelible mark on all who listen.
Listen to The Distance Between Dreams:
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