When writing and music are powerful elements throughout one’s life, they will, on occasion, demand more robust, more public expression. Hailing from Ontario, Canada, singer/songwriter Rachel Brunet finally listened to, and acted on, those very demands. The result? Her very first single, “Morning Noon and Night.” Harboring serious talent, and with seriously talented support, Rachel threw her truest self into the creative mix, granting us a catchy, ultra-relatable tune floating leisurely in the blended spectrum between rock, pop, and country. So, what makes it such a remarkable debut? Let’s talk about it.
Wait. Who does what?
Inspired by a riff played by her friend Peter China, Rachel wrote the lyrics and further developed the melody. She then connected with Barry Haggarty, a three-time Canadian Country Music Association Guitar Player of the Year nominee. If he sounds familiar, it’s because he worked with a roster of A-List talents, including Shania Twain and Ronnie Hawkins. Haggarty liked Rachel’s voice and her musical instincts, and agreed to develop and produce the song, granting it that professional, ready-for-radio sheen.
Now, back to the music:
“Morning Noon and Night” kicks off with five strikes on the snare, and a clean guitar riff over subtle, space-building organ.
When the verse kicks in, we’re granted a subtle, floating synth with acoustic, rhythmic guitar strums.
Rachel’s voice is reminiscent of Shania Twain, and I hear a little Stevie Nicks, but without that ever-present darkness and rough, nearly gurgling vibrato. It maintains a consistent energy throughout as the instrumentation expels more energy for the chorus – it’s elevated by backing vocals, shifting guitar chords, and punctuating cymbal strikes.
And then we hit the bridge; it kicks off with a slightly dirtier but tasteful rock guitar solo. And no, I didn’t mistype that – it really is a genuine, not-often-heard-in-contemporary-pop-music guitar solo. It’s played effortlessly, and acts as a connective melodic passage to a brief musical divergence embracing desperation. But where it goes next is also often unheard – a few bars of that soft floating synth accompanying Rachel’s singular voice. It’s like a more personal request made with the music down, guaranteeing the words are, in fact, heard, and the emotional message clearly received.
When this section delivers its final lyric, we’re right back to the chorus, and once again reassured with a hope that will absolutely hang on regardless of emotional bumps, dents, and the occasional six-car pileup.
But is it good?
Rachel restrained this particular facet of herself for far too long. All that music, all those affecting words, and all those feelings were, for years, negotiating an escape, and we’re very glad Rachel listened to those soft but unrelenting whispers. If you’re looking for someone to pick up the torch right where Shania Twain dropped it, I highly recommend Rachel Brunet’s debut single, “Morning Noon and Night.”
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BELOW: Listen to Rachel Brunet and check her out on Bandcamp. And keep tabs on her progress, as she’s currently finishing up an EP that leans a little more towards rock and roll. Please support Rachel by visiting her online and downloading or purchasing her music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
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