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Across his career, Brett Dennen has been the kind of singer-songwriter who digs into the nooks and crannies of the human condition—exploring pain, joy, sadness, and all points in between. If It Takes Forever (Mick Music) is the California native’s eighth solo album and his first full-length since 2021’s See the World.
The warm, immersive collection features rich acoustic guitars and Dennen’s earnest vocals, ranging from dusky Americana to harmonica-driven blues, rootsy indie, and meditative folk-rock. Songs mentioned include “Golden State of Mind,” “Careful What You Wish For,” “Don’t Go Talking,” and “Time To Wake Up.”
If It Takes Forever grew out of a tough 2023 for Dennen, as he was dealing with the death of his dad. “He was such a strong figure in my life that I depended on so much as both a dad and a best friend,” he said. “And I knew immediately in order for me to deal with his death, the best thing I could do was to make an album about it.”
Dennen spent much of a year thinking about what kind of album he wanted to make, jotting down ideas on paper and in voice memos. In late 2023 he formalized those ideas into songs. “Making them a reality all happened very fast,” he says. “These songs were in my head and came out when I had the guitar in my hand. I would record one, put it away and then come back a few days or a few weeks later and listen to it: ‘Okay, I think that's done. That's good enough. Move on, move on, move on.’”
Some songs are directly about his dad, while others reflect on the new reality of his life and broader philosophical questions: “What did this person mean to me? What did they inspire in me? What do I think life is about now? Who's the person I really want to be?” He also asked, “What is life? What does it mean? What's it all about?”
Highlights and notes on specific tracks:
- “In the Garden”: a gentle, folksy song indirectly inspired by his parents' vegetable garden—about love, intention, and creating something beautiful.
- “Wood Canoe”: a narrative-driven story about a humble man who builds a wooden canoe; Dennen says, “It feels like a Cat Stevens song and has a little bit of Latin rhythm to it.”
- “Another Day in Babylon”: a rumbling groove based on things that happened in his life.
- “Chipping Away”: the easygoing opening track about resilience and persevering.
- “Dharma Baby”: features organ.
- “Star Surfer”: uses plaintive piano to add melancholy.
Dennen recorded the album quickly—"in a whirlwind five days" in Los Angeles—with musicians from his live band and longtime collaborator Jon Solo producing. Working with his band gave the album immediacy and depth; Dennen says they worked as a team and everyone contributed parts and ideas in the studio.
Since debuting in 2004 with a self-titled album, Dennen has built a steady touring career, including touring with John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and G Love and Special Sauce. He’s had song placements in the TV show Parenthood, and “Comeback Kid (That's My Dog)” became the theme song for the TV adaptation About A Boy. He’s also had multiple top 10 hits on AAA radio, including the title track of See the World, which reached No. 4 in 2021.
With If It Takes Forever, Dennen plans to hit the road again, carrying additional perspective and gratitude for the solace provided by art and music. “To really boil it down, this is life,” he says. “Life is full of things that get complicated and make you busy, and are really hard to deal with. But if you write songs about it, and put it into art, then it makes it a lot more relevant and meaningful and worthy of celebration.”