Los Angeles-based composer and musician Bryan Lee Brown, under his Dark Brown moniker, has just unveiled the first single from his upcoming album, American Instrument. The track, titled “Rhythm Surfer,” is a significant release, featuring one of the last recordings of the legendary guitar icon Dick Dale.
Dale’s signature “Machine Gun Staccato” style is prominently showcased on the track, adding a historic touch. Also lending her talents to the song is L7 guitarist and vocalist Donita Sparks, adding an entrancing layer to the composition.
In anticipation of the album, Brown has created a series of mini-documentaries that delve into the making of American Instrument. The initial episodes highlight the “Rhythm Surfer” sessions, which took place at Dave Catching’s renowned Rancho De La Luna studio.
American Instrument was a labor of love, recorded over a span of 12 years across seven different studios. The album is packed with guest appearances from a stellar lineup of musicians, including surf guitar pioneer Dick Dale, John Stanier (Battles, Helmet), Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave), Alfredo Ortiz (Los Lobos, Beastie Boys), Eric McFadden, Jon Theodore (Queens of the Stone Age), Donita Sparks (L7), marching percussionist Marcus Joyner, Dave Catching (Desert Sessions), and Jose Medeles (The Breeders, Author), among others.
The album’s drummer-heavy ensemble underscores Brown’s deep connection with drumming, both on a musical and a personal level. Nearly every contributor to the album shares a personal history with Brown, weaving a tapestry of common threads that run through his life and musical journey.
Scheduled for release in Fall 2024, American Instrument is a masterful blend of abstract minimalism and melodic psychedelia. Brown’s signature sound—marked by melodic percussion, droning guitars, tremolo, and propulsive rhythms—permeates the album. Each guest musician brings their unique flair to the project, resulting in a rich diversity of sounds and styles. Dick Dale’s larger-than-life guitar techniques, captured on two tracks recorded in 2013 at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, introduce his iconic surf guitar into new realms, blending with counterpoint rhythms, post-rock ethereality, and anthemic hooks.
The track “Spacetime” features Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine, whose powerful drumming drives a psychedelic haze of Hendrix-esque guitar, interwoven with haunting tubular bells. “Miami Rute,” featuring Jon Theodore and Alfredo Ortiz, merges Latin percussion with soaring Pink Floyd-inspired drones and ominous vocal chants. Throughout the album, a wide array of sounds and styles explore the very essence of rhythm and the profound impact of the drum set, a uniquely American instrument, on human history.
Conceptually, American Instrument is as expansive and ambitious as its lush soundscapes. The 18-track album, with its star-studded roster of guest musicians, serves as a profound meditation on identity and the concept of the Other.
Dark Brown, the brainchild of Bryan Lee Brown, has released four previous albums, but American Instrument stands out as a particularly ambitious and personal project. Brown’s extensive career includes scoring Dave Grohl’s HBO series Sonic Highways (2014) and the documentary film What Drives Us (2021), as well as countless other films, TV shows, and commercials. He has also drummed for Dick Dale and worked extensively as a session musician.
With American Instrument, Bryan Lee Brown not only showcases his incredible talent and versatility but also pays homage to the relationships and influences that have shaped his musical journey. As the release date approaches, anticipation builds for what promises to be a landmark album in Brown’s already impressive career.
