Scott Collins follows up 2024’s solo debut Purple Pain with the new, full band release Bravery is Necessary. Scott and his backing band The Sovereignty (Steven Cooper on guitar, Christopher Lord Byrd on synths/keys/piano, Brother James Barbee on drums, and Gordo Persha on bass) decided that seven of the tracks that appear on Purple Pain sounded great in their original “live in studio” incarnations and paired those tracks with another ‘live in-studio’ cut that does not appear on Purple Pain.
Bravery is Necessary, which is available for digital download and on CD and cassette, opens with “Quitter,” which is the final cut on Purple Pain. The stripped-down, live in studio approach adds to the immediacy of the track; The Sovereignty delivers a blistering take that has some real Neil Young & Crazy Horse vibes.
“Killer Crush,” the second track on Bravery...and Purple Pain‘s first single, retains its power but is less “synth-punk” (there is still some synth, though) and more Garage Rock. “Love You More,” another highlight from Purple Pain, is more plaintive as a “live-in-studio” cut and sounds like a lost Springsteen classic, while “The Town Went Out on Us” comes off as a blistering demo version of the final take that appears on Purple Pain.
“A Matter of the Art” opens with some studio chatter not present on the Purple Pain version and Collins’ vocals have a rawness that is emotionally impactful. “Silver Bullet,” an ace tune on both albums, sounds even more haunted here, while “Shittin’ Tears,” which drew comparisons to the proto-punk band Suicide via Purple Pain, sounds more like early Doom Metal (a la Black Sabbath) on Bravery is Necessary (at least until Collins’ vocals, which recall Jack White, kick in).
Bravery is Necessary closes with the aforementioned tune that does not appear on Purple Pain: “Lament for the Lost” is piano and harmonica-led and, again, draws comparisons to Neil Young. It is a lovely song that brings the album to its conclusion.
Bravery is Necessary was recorded LIVE at Study Forty-One Fifteen in Nashville; engineered and mixed by Taylor Bray, and mastered by Mike Cervantes at The Foxboro in Detroit.
