LISTEN: Brian Bulger Departs From Childhood Roots “Bad In A Good Way”
LISTEN: Brian Bulger Departs From Childhood Roots “Bad In A Good Way”
Bulger says goodbye to evangelicalism.
Words By: Brianna Vacca
Brian Bulger wants to create music that creates change — “for my sanity, but also for yours.” The Springfield, Missouri singer + songwriter departs from a childhood suffused with uprooting and a raising that differs from a lot of upbringings in new single “Bad in a Good Way.” Bulger often crafts a narrative malted with authentic lyricism and conscientious genre-blending ingredients. He touches upon subjects unbeknownst to many and intertwines those subject matters into a musical configuration and warmly welcomes the listener into his wake. “Bad in a Good Way” is Bulger’s brand new single following harmonic configurations “Lightning Bolt,” “Fast Car,” “Don’t Go Gently,” and “Brother, Are You on Your Way?”
“Bad in a Good Way” is Bulger’s introductory tasting before his forthcoming record. The track commences with a penetrating hand-clapped-besmirched percussion track and is glistened by Bulger’s smooth vocal offerings. His voice complements its musical peers in a subtle way, careful not to overwhelm. The instrumentation remains homogenous throughout the piece making sure that the door is always open for strings. This release marks one of the first as the genre-blending artist explores a new sonic territory from a folksy-Americana to an alternative configuration.
Bulger shared his take on the song,”‘Bad in a Good Way’ is about my departure from evangelicalism and specifically the religious trauma that brought me to ‘the deep end.’ It’s a song of freedom, joy, and self-love, breaking free of exclusivity and being my best self. It also marks a transition of my sound from folk to alternative/pop/singer-songwriter. It’s a breath of fresh air, in more ways than one”.
The music video for “Bad in a Good Way” also dropped depicting Bulger’s whimsical personality despite the challenges noted in the single. It’s easy to dance away anything. This project was set to inaugurate in 2020, but quarantine and the pandemic had other plans for this assemblage.
The Midwestern songsmith’s newest single “Bad in a Good Way” follows a handful of singles including the crisp love song “Dance Until We’re Gone.” In 2019, the Missouri singer + songwriter released a ten-track full-length record Nine of Ten which garnered the singer + songwriter social media success.
