South Carolina’s Lindsay Brazell’s new uplifting EP, “The World This Way,” has been in the works for over three years and has finally arrived. The EP began as a high school choir project for her students, who performed the songs at the Barbershop Harmony Society Midwinter Conference in 2023. Since then, Brazell has been working on turning the music into what she always envisioned it should sound like. “The World This Way” is composed of three catchy and elevated songs inspired by conversations she heard from her students, ranging from their fears in the world to post-pandemic life. Sung by Brazell’s poppy angelic vocals, “The World This Way” is the ultimate sidekick to long car rides and hangouts with friends.
“The World This Way” starts strong with the song “One Heartbeat.” Beginning with a hard-hitting instrumental consisting of low-toned guitars and deep piano keys, Brazell’s commanding vocals arrive, highlighting the high-powered energy that this EP will entail. The song starts its chorus with the lyrics, “Life is so much better when we sing together,” referring to the scientific phenomenon that when people sing together, their heartbeats sync briefly. The song has an ultra-compelling sound and lyrics, making the listener want to sing along.
Followed by “One Heartbeat” is “This Is Why I Sing,” which begins sounding like a song one would hear in a choir (which makes sense with the original purpose of the project). The humming of multiple voices beautifully toned together is heard, and then Brazell’s vocals take the forefront. The instrumental is much less prevalent than the last song, which is composed of simple strumming of guitar and soft drumming; the main focus is Brazell’s profound lyrics and dynamic vocals. Brazell discusses her and other’s reasons for singing, highlighting the importance for others to continue pursuing their passions.
The final song is the title track, “The World This Way,” from the point of view of young adults in the current world climate. Lyrics such as “Save the Day Child” and “All I know is we need a world to live in” signify the importance and demand for our youth to fix the mess the people before them left behind. From the point of view of Brazell’s students, she is letting them know there is still time to make the world better. It is a lyrically-heavy song that needs to be heard by everyone.
Take a listen to Lindsay Brazell’s latest EP, “The World This Way” today. It is a truly important work of art!
Written by Melissa Cusano
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