Storm Chasing

Oliver James Brooks

In an age of pounding bass and loud guitar riffs, it's refreshing to actually listen to music. Oliver James Brooks’s new album is a great example of “lean-in music,” where the audience is made to pay close attention to what they’re hearing rather than being overloaded with sound. The Toronto-based folk-rock singersongwriter’s soft yet haunting vocals conjure Elliot Smith while his melodies bring a Kurt Vile vibe. Recorded on an old Tascam 388 8” track tape machine, Storm Chasing is a nostalgic nod to the likes of old troubadours Young and Dylan, whose influence can be felt on the record. Standout tracks include “Two Best Friends,” “In A Bad Kind Of Way,” and title track “Storm Chasing,” which refers to Brooks becoming sober and describing the feeling of knowing how something will end before it begins. Taking influence from the past greats but making it his own, Storm Chasing proves that Brooks is definitely a musician to watch out for.

- Adrian Lysenko