Amazon.com: Coming Home: Brooke: Music

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist
On his debut album, singer/songwriter Brooke fuses Snoop Dogg-worthy grooves with killer pop melodies and razor-sharp lyricism for the kind of sound that could have only come from a guy who speaks of Prince, the Beastie Boys and the Beatles with equal reverence. The fact that Brooke is able to put a masters degree in psychology to work for himself while singing about getting busy in the back of a pickup truck behind a Circle K only makes the recipe that much tastier.

Recorded in a Hollywood garage-turned-recording studio with local production duo Guy Erez and Emerson Swinford, Brooke's debut album Coming Home (Connoisseur/Artemis) is a testament not only to his rock solid songwriting skills and thoughtful world view, but also to his disparate musical influences.

"Growing up in Oakland, I would listen to KSOL, and they would play everything from Luther Vandross to Too Short to NWA," the Bay Area native recalls fondly. "I love all genres of music, but I think I'm most influenced by old school rap, Prince, Sting, and vintage classic rock like AC/DC."

It wasn't until Brooke enrolled at the University of California at Santa Barbara that he began to harness the power of rock. As the frontman for an endless string of garage punk bands, the quick-witted singer channeled the likes of the Misfits, Bad Religion, and the Ramones as he honed his chops at countless local dives and house parties around the coastal town.

After a post-collegiate stint as a reluctant limo driver and car detailer, Brooke returned to UCSB to begin work on his master's degree. He also began writing songs as a solo artist for the first time. A publishing deal with Warner-Chappell was soon to follow. With that Brooke decided to take his chances on a move south to Los Angeles.

"A lot of the songs on the album that explore loneliness and alienation were written when I got down there," Brooke laughs. "I didn't know a soul when I first got to L.A."

While surfing couches around Los Angeles, he began working on the demos that would ultimately become Coming Home. Brooke pulled Krispy Kreme donut-fueled all-nighters with Erez and Swinford, melding hip-hop beats, guitars that both pummel and caress, and Brooke's rhythmic vocal stylings into a sound that is honest, raw, and real. It's no wonder why the folks at Connoisseur Records made Brooke the very first artist signed to their label.

Product Description
On his debut album, singer/songwriter Brooke fuses Snoop Dogg-worthy grooves with killer pop melodies and razor-sharp lyricism for the kind of sound that could have only come from a guy who speaks of Prince, the Beastie Boys and the Beatles with equal reverence. The fact that Brooke is able to put a masters degree in psychology to work for himself while singing about getting busy in the back of a pickup truck behind a Circle K only makes the recipe that much tastier.