Album Mini-review: Brett Harris — Up in the Air

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File next to: Chris Stamey, Emitt Rhodes, Pete Yorn

You can learn a lot about a musician by studying the company he keeps. Durham NC-based Brett Harris has been a key component of Chris Stamey’s “Big Star 3rd” concerts, and The dB’s have enlisted him as utility musician/vocalist. His set was a highlight of the 2013 Hopscotch Festival, but he’s taken his time to get this, his second album, right. But associations only get one so far; a listen to the warm and inviting Up in the Air reveals a young – yet seasoned – songwriter who’s musically wise beyond his years. The disc’s clean, straightforward production showcases Harris’ strong, tuneful melodies. The chiming “End of the Rope” is as winning as anything on Big Star‘s first two discs, and a helluva lot sunnier than their third. Up in the Air will have lovers of classic pop reaching for the “repeat” button. (Watch for my interview with Brett Harris, coming soon to Musoscribe.)