Brooklyn Indie artist Bird Streets has returned with Lagoon, the second album that John Brodeur has created under that moniker. This time around, he expanded the project, enlisting Production by Patrick Sansone (Wilco), Michael Lockwood (Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple), and Zach Jones (Sting) and Oscar Albis Rodriguez (A Great Big World), plus guest appearances from the likes of Aimee Mann, Ed Harcourt, John Davis (Superdrag), Jody Stephens (Big Star), and more. The sonic outcome leans towards Power Pop.
Mixing was split between Sansone and Grammy winner Michael Brauer (Coldplay, John Mayer), and mastering was handled by Grammy nominee Pete Lyman (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton).
Bird Streets was first conceived as Brodeur’s return to a band format after a lengthy stint as a solo artist, one that he found “freeing”. For Lagoon, Brodeur collected tracks over a series of dates in Tennessee, New York, and California, recording 20 new songs before deciding on the 12 that would comprise the album.
He comments:
It took a while to figure out what I was trying to say. My marriage was ending as the first album was coming out. It was an incredibly complicated and emotional time, and a lot of songs came as I worked through those feelings.
The album also deals with wide-ranging themes like “addiction, shame and depression” as well as the idea of dealing with change over time in a realistic way. The lyrics and melodies are supported here by a wider sonic palette than Brodeur’s previous works, such as pedal steel guitar, woodwinds, sitar, and strings, all alongside guitars and keyboards.
