Branan Murphy – All The Wrong Things

Essential Records

Release Date: April 21st 2017

Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre

Branan MurphyAll The Wrong Things (iTunes/Amazon mp3)

Track Listing:

  1. All the Wrong Things (feat. Koryn Hawthorne)

Similar to how songs like “Undefeated (feat. KB)” (Tauren Wells), “Chain Breaker” (Zach Williams), “Thy Will” (Hillary Scott) and “Fight For You” (Grayson Reed) came out of ‘nowhere’ last year to impress me in all facets (lyrically, musically and thematically), this new song from most recent signee to Essential Records Branan Murphy is also a song that took me by surprise (and the only one of 2017 thus far!). “All the Wrong Things” is a song that blends together pop and rap, to marry together one of music’s most different genres, yet still in this song, these two genres complement each other quite well! Musically and vocally reminding us all of Colton Dixon, Lecrae and some Plus One/Anthem Lights vibes; Branan, while not necessarily speaking out the words ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’, is nevertheless giving us this song as one where we reflect upon- why do we say we love Jesus when we ‘follow’ all the wrong things, as this song suggests? This song is a must have if you love artists like Colton Dixon or Lecrae. Signed to Essential Records, home to artists like Tenth Avenue North, Tauren Wells, Zach Williams, Steven Curtis Chapman, Casting Crowns, Brandon Heath and Building 429 to mention a few; Branan’s first song will hopefully be one of many, and this new artists is perhaps one of a kind, the first unique, powerful, emotive and heartfelt artist I’ve come across since Lauren Daigle a few years ago!

“All The Wrong Things” is a different and unique title for a song that speaks about the exact opposite. A song that reminds us all to not focus on the ‘wrong’ things but what is true, pure and honest, we are reminded through Branan, that often no matter what we try, we always go back to the perpetual cycle of doing the things we most likely don’t want to do. Need I remind us all- from the outset, this song is a mainstream track. It doesn’t say anything about Jesus, or anything that we would consider to be ‘Christian-like’. On face value, a song like this could fit quite well on mainstream radio amidst artists like Alessia Cara, Rachel Platten, Justin Timberlake or One Direction. And we wouldn’t even question something like that. But then we look deeper at the lyrics of the track, and we realise, that this song has more of a deeper meaning. Sure, this song by definition is a mainstream one, but “All the Wrong Things” can equally evoke a message of hope and inspiration, as another worship song like “Good Good Father” can as well! As Branan says all too well in the chorus- ‘…I’m in love with the mirror but the face in the glass is a killer, will I ever get out of my own way? Gotta taste it, but it’s toxic, here again, can’t pretend I don’t want it, maybe the reason why I’m stuck on replay, I want all the wrong, wrong, wrong things…’ Hopefully, a song such as this is impetus for us all to wake up and realise that more often than not, we are focusing our lives and energy on the ‘wrong’ things- realisation of this is the first step towards taking action and changing our priorities in this one shot called life!

‘…I write songs about what it’s like to be human – my own brand of ‘conscious pop’. We are all complex people. We have struggles. We have contradictions. We have deep desires. We are all seeking to be loved, understood and satisfied. My songs attempt to capture those deep emotional, even spiritual, yearnings we have as human beings. The bottom line is that I want to make great art, but most of all I want to be honest. I want to sing about what people are really going through…’ Branan’s music is different. Unique. A fusion between pop and rap. And it works. With the rap of the song delivered by Branan himself (as well as the verses and choruses too), Branan’s music channels much of other artists like Lecrae, NF, Colton Dixon and Plus One- weird combination of artists, but as a whole, Branan fuses together these genres to create a song where the different music genres enhance the song quite a bit. Released yesterday, and impacting radio straight away, this will be a welcomed addition if (and a very big if!) “All the Wrong Things” slots on WOW Hits 2018 in the future! Well done Branan for such a hopeful and encouraging song. Can’t wait til more in the future!

3 songs to listen to: All The Wrong Things (3 times, and then listen to the track three times more!)

Score: 4.5/5

RIYL: Lecrae, Plus One, Colton Dixon, Andy Mineo, Anthem Lights, Royal Tailor

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