It’s a testament to the enduring power that music held over Brent Daniels’ imagination that, no matter what twists and turns life laid in front of him, he eventually found his way back to one of his earliest passions. His album Every Road Has a Turn provides ample evidence of how bright the fire to create and perform burns inside of him and it’s for sure his soon to be released second album will expand on the gifts and promise of his debut collection. One of the strongest anthems on Every Road Has a Turn, “Party at the End of the Road”, lends itself naturally to being a single and deserving of an accompanying video. The result is a slick, professionally produced affair that never relies on cheap gimmickry and draws listeners in with its straight-forward embrace of the song.
There’s a smattering of traditional strands tied into Daniels’ music and the banjo fueled opening of the song sets the stage nicely for what follows. The powerful presence of lead guitar immediately announces itself and flairs with a distinctly rock edge that strikes quite a contrast with the banjo. Daniels keeps both these influences going for the entirety of the tune and the weave of these sounds creates an appealing sonic landscape that he strides with an impressive amount of confidence. The drumming has a muscular attack that, nevertheless, keeps up an impressive swing for the entirety of the tune and the guitar work shows just the right amount of flash without ever overshadowing the other players or Daniels’ vocal. It’s a tune that has all the hallmarks of an anthem and, like most songs in that vein, is cut to a manageable length that highlights its strengths.
Daniels’ communicates the song with unquestionable enthusiasm and real swagger. His strutting to and fro across the soundstage keeps the camera busy and eyes riveted on his presence. He plays up a great deal to the other musicians and they respond in kind with equally energetic performances that get across the life embracing joy of the song. The lighting keeps things lively along with the customary jump cuts that are the trademark of virtually any music video. This is a song brimming over with passion and the video treatment complements it quite nicely. Daniels, obviously, is performing to the album track and this isn’t live by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s quite believable when you’re watching the footage that this is exactly how Daniels and his band would attack the song in a live setting. The go for broke, nothing to lose vibe is a great fit and it makes for memorable watching. Brent Daniels’ “Party at the End of the Road” does everything anthemic modern country is supposed to do with great skill and Daniels’ personality brightly shines through every moment of the song. He’s a hell of a performer and the future will undoubtedly expand on his talents even more.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Party-at-End-Road/dp/B01CVEIOC8
Jason Hillenburg
