Luke Brindley’s creative work has taken on many faces over the course of his career. First there was the pairing with his brother, Daniel, as Brindley Brothers, pumping out a Petty-meets-Springsteen sound in a pop-rock genre. 
Luke Brindley’s creative work has taken on many faces over the course of his career. First there was the pairing with his brother, Daniel, as Brindley Brothers, pumping out a Petty-meets-Springsteen sound in a pop-rock genre. Then came a self-titled, singer-songwriter album that showcased his talents as a solo artist. Now, Luke Brindley has started down the road to yet another album with yet another lineup configuration. Sticking with the singer-songwriter route, Brindley added local talent Todd Wright (Getaway Car) to the act, along with fellow vocalist Jess Bennett. Amping up the harmonies to his already catchy melodies, Brindley may have found his best mix yet.
That’s certainly what he believes regarding his own writing, a notable claim indeed given the praise publications have heaped on him in the past. Performing Songwriter magazine called his previous work “exquisite.” Rolling Stone opined that “fans of Gin Blossoms and Wilco will swoon” over Brindley’s “concise, driven power pop.”
Given those endorsements, when Brindley says his new work is his best to date, we should all take notice.
“It’s been about two years since my last full release, so I’ve been writing a lot,” says Brindley, who also released EP Five Songs last summer. “A lot of writers feel their new stuff is the best, but I’ve had a lot of time to edit and throw away stuff. Given that, the cream has risen to the top. I’ve probably written 40 or 50 songs over that time, but we’ll probably record maybe 16 of them.”
On the road, he’s been paying attention as well, part of the impetus for recrafting his sound with Wright and Bennett.
“I noticed that my best shows were when people were really listening. That drove home the importance of lyrics and really tightening songs,” Brindley says.
Those looking for some immediate evidence of this claim should seek out the YouTube video by Brindley’s trio for “Lose You Now.” A lovely ballad delivered with Brindley’s weathered voice is taken to new heights when showcased with the addition of some heart wrenching harmonies.
“I’ve spent the last few years traveling around the country and playing with some of those artists, you see how high the standard is set,” Brindley says. And with everything now in place, Brindley feels more than ready to measure up.
There’s only one little problem however — financing. As an independent artist, Brindley is facing some serious financial constraints when it comes to producing and promoting an album containing his latest, best-ever material. Taking a page from the book of fellow local musician Shane Hines, with whom Brindley spends time performing at Jammin’ Java’s singer-songwriter circles, Brindley has set up a donation site on his Web page (lukebrindley.com). Each suggested level of giving — spanning from $10 to $10,000 — corresponds with a certain return service, ranging from a free copy of the new album to a private show and party at Jammin’ Java, which Brindley owns with his family.
The goal is $35,000, nearly $6,000 of which Brindley has already raised in a rather horrendous economic climate. “Given everything that’s been going on, I’m extremely pleased,” Brindley says.
More money should be on the way. Several private shows have also been set up with fundraising in mind.
“One guy is renting a cool space and he’s going to invite his friends … hopefully friends with money,” Brindley says.
Hines has already shown that the strategy can be a successful one. Besides, if there’s one place in the country that knows how to raise money, it’s Washington, D.C.
To help garner a little more momentum for the album-making movement, Brindley, Bennett and Wright will be performing a two-night stint at Jammin’ Java on July 17 and 18. Tickets are $12.
• For more on Luke Brindley, visit www.lukebrindley.com.
