Brendan McMahon is Now A “Universalist”

Brendan McMahon Universalist

Many goals are made by many musicians every day. Unfortunately, many of these goals go unfulfilled. Whether it be a lack of real effort or a goal too boisterous to honestly achieve, there always seems to be a reason for the majority of artists. Our friend Brendan McMahon accepts no excuses and has been on a path to releasing even more music to the world.

The talented singer and songwriter hails from Melbourne, Australia. Brendan McMahon, previously known by the moniker Satellite Gods, set a rather large goal for himself. Brendan will release 5 albums in 5 years! With all that goes into a record, we all know that is not an easy goal. With the passion and devotion Brendan McMahon puts in though, he is well on his way. We already covered his 2nd album Marker 7-58 back in January. (Read it HERE).

Luckily Brendan McMahon does not let himself be cornered into any one specific genre. His musical schizophrenia touches on rock, pop, Celtic, folk, blues, and a multitude of unique sub-genres. he allows each song to take on its own development no matter where it may lead. Inspiration is everywhere for McMahon and he lets it all in.

To continue his goal, Brendan McMahon is now ready to release a new Ep titled Universalist. The 5 track record touches multiple genres again as his unique sound just seems to become bigger and bigger. The opener “Marker 7-58”, also the name of his last full-length album, was inspired by a search for inspiration with a walk through the nature park reserve that surrounds his Victoria studio. Finding a random trail marker in the middle of all the natural beauty hit home for Brendan. there is a Celtic influence with some mandolin and the big heartfelt voice that touches deep within the soul.

Brendan McMahon Finds Inspiration Everywhere

On “Hotel Hemingway” the pace is picked up some for a pop-rock feel.  He was inspired by a trip to Havana, where he explored the Ambos Mundos, a famous hotel in the main square where Ernest Hemingway stayed and wrote in the years before he committed suicide. There seems to still be a muse in that old hotel as I found myself humming along from my first listen to the song.

 

 

The tone shifts with the heartfelt ballad “Mother”. The piano ballad hits close to home as I personally lost my Mom last month. Tears did come to my face but isn’t that what a great song is meant to do, create emotion? The sincere lyrics are universal. Any listener can relate to the beauty of this soaring track. The piano playing skills are very evident here as well.

Not to leave the listener on a solemn note, Brendan McMahon closes the record with the high-energy “Beat”. The funk-rock celebration includes some unique organ tones (and a hot solo) as well as some exquisite guitar work that shows the true musician that Brendan McMahon is.

Keep a lookout for the next full-length album later in 2017. Follow his WEBSITE for more news and music as well.

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