via Andrew Browning with permission
From a distance, you might just mistake Andrew Browning for Will Ferrell. But the gritty, California-born singer-songwriter is no comic actor (as far as we know). He’s an artist, for certain, albeit of a different medium.
Along with his band, the 9 Pound Hammers—a term that comes from a Merle Travis song—Browning has been making waves since his first album, working closely with respected producer Derek O’Brien (Social Distortion, Agent Orange) and a collection of standout studio musicians. Browning and O’Brien now bring us the new record Love Is a Beautiful Thing, in which the artist digs deep into the messy, raw truths of love and human connection. It’s a diversely arranged Americana record that stands out for its emotional honesty and layered narratives. Browning and I discuss the new effort and more on the most recent Load Out Music Podcast.
Originally from New England, Browning traces his musical sensibilities back to a very young age and an elementary school music teacher during his formative years, along with the music his parents were playing at home.
“She (the teacher) had us singing Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash songs and Willie Nelson and all that type of stuff,” he recalled. “That sort of singer-songwriter stuff was with me as a child.”
By the ripe age of 10, Browning had decided he wanted to be a rock and roll star, which lasted well into his late 20s. But then a funny thing happened: Life set in.
“By the time I got to 30, tired and broke,” he said with a laugh, “I sort of made a pivot and went into technology. I had a kid on the way. That sort of makes you feel like you’ve got to get a spear and go kill something and eat it.”
Thus, Browning took a hiatus from music for some 12 years, until a friend called him to play out, to which he reluctantly agreed.
“Somehow he suckered me out,” Browning noted. “…and I ended up sitting in on a song. It was what I imagine what a relapsing drug addict going through, and so then I got started going back in.”
His relapse took hold, bringing us to today, where Browning is three albums deep.
The title track of the new record, Beautiful Thing, captures the dualities of passion and heartache, offering a personal reckoning, while songs like “Rock n Roll Cocaine” and “Dirty Girl” channel the gritty, rebellious spirit of California’s rock scene. On other tracks like “San Fernando” and “Rose Avenue and Main Street” paint vivid, evocative pictures of life in the Golden State. The album is Browning’s strongest effort since reinvigorating his focus on music, embracing the imperfections of love—its highs, lows and everything in between—brought to life with massive production, powerful vocals, along with big rock ‘n’ roll endings that showcase both Browning’s roots and his narrative depth.
Enjoy a terrific conversation with an incredibly reflective artist, Andrew Browning, on the latest episode of The Load Out Music Podcast. It’s a terrific one!