Brenden Starr, a talented singer and songwriter from Hanover, Pennsylvania, recently dropped a new EP called Reimagined. It includes some different versions of songs he’s previously released, as well as some new tracks. Brenden’s latest work is a progression in his sound. His tremendous signature vocals are still there, but the vibe of the music is heavier. Brenden’s style is unique, and because it doesn’t fit into just one genre, it appeals to fans of all different types of music.
Working with producer Hayden Calhoun of Darkside Audio seems to be a perfect fit for Brenden. He calls Hayden his “go-to guy” and says they work great together in the studio. Brenden makes all of the decisions about his songs and writes all lyrics, and comes up with a lot of the melodies, including guitars and drums. He passes his ideas along to Hayden, who does all of the instrumentation in his studio and also does the mixing and mastering. In addition to Brenden and Hayden, Tyler McClane played acoustic guitar on the song “Gravity (Acoustic)”.
One of the most important tracks on the Reimagined EP is “Get Out”. It is a song that shares a very powerful message, and the music video that Brenden and his team put together is perfect. Brenden wrote “Get Out” in honor of his friend, Todd Lippy. In 2023, Todd was going through recovery, had a good job, and was getting his life back on track. Brenden found out the morning of his big show at the York State Fair that Todd had passed away. Todd was supposed to be at that show to see him. He was always very supportive of Brenden’s music. Brenden says he’s glad he got to know Todd before he passed away. When he talks about Todd and his passing, you cans see how emotional it makes him. He channeled those emotions into creating a remarkable song and music video. Brenden definitely paid tribute to Todd with “Get Out”.
The video for “Get Out” was Brenden’s concept, incorporating darkness and fire. The theme is that of a person trapped, not being able to break the chains of whatever addiction is holding that person captive. The fire represents being burned alive as one of the worst ways to go out. Brenden’s message is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Instead of your life being taken away by addiction, things can be fixed and you can heal. You just have to break the chains and “get out” of the darkness. The video was directed by Robert McCoy. He also did Brenden’s video for “Top Of The World”. They have a great chemistry and are always on the same page when it comes to video concepts. Also appearing with Brenden in the video are guitarist Corey Burnard, bassist Dan Krol, and drummer Chris Badolato.
I think the original version of “Gravity”, which was released in 2023, is one of Brenden’s best songs in his catalog. There’s a great music video for that song, too, which you should definitely check out. The acoustic version on the Reimagined EP is beautiful. This is another song with a very deep message, focusing on the topic of domestic violence. Brenden’s singing is soulful and emotional, and are wonderfully complemented by Tyler McClane on acoustic guitar.
I really like Brenden’s new version of “Dreams”, which was on his 2023 Hopeless Romantic album. This rendition is heavier, and I think Brenden’s vocals are stronger and more powerful. The remixed version of “Top Of The World”, another song from the 2023 album, has a pop and EDM/industrial vibe, with a lot of electronic elements and funky beats. It is absolutely something different for Brenden, and I think it’s fun.
“The Freshmen” by The Verve Pipe is a song near and dear to Brenden’s heart. It makes him think of a girl he liked in middle school, and he actually had hoped it would be his high school senior class’s song, but unfortunately they went in a different direction. Brenden did an incredible job with his version of “The Freshmen”, which is actually one of my favorite songs also. I think it’s a timeless classic. Brenden puts his own twist on it and does great justice to this awesome song.
Something amazing about Brenden’s cover of “The Freshmen” is that Brian Vander Ark, the lead singer of The Verve Pipe, really likes it! The story about this is super cool. Brenden got to know the lead singer of Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, Jimi Haha, when the band played at Brenden’s Rock On The Hill festival. They talked about Creed’s Summer of ’99 Cruise which also included Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, The Verve Pipe, 3 Doors Down, Tantric, and Fuel, among others. Brenden told Jimi about his cover of “The Freshmen”, and Jimi told him to send him the final version because he is friends with Brian. A few days after sending the completed track, Brenden got a text from Jimi, which was actually a message from Brian to Brenden. Brian said the song was fantastic and that Brenden should tag him and The Verve Pipe in any promo of the song. That might be one of my favorite things about the music industry — bands, singers, and musicians making connections through music. You never know who you’re going to interact with who might help you in the future. That’s why it is so important to remain humble and support other artists. You might later have the opportunity to help someone else.
With the newer music that he’s putting out now, Brenden is doing his own creative thing musically. There’s definitely a heavier element, but it’s mixed with his big pop vocals, which Brenden says will never change. It will just be grittier and edgier. Though he’s heading in a somewhat different direction, he’ll stay true to his roots, with some ballads and some “fun” songs mixed in with heavier rock. He wants to keep mixing things up.
I believe this will be what keeps people coming back to Brenden’s music. Of course, his vocals are tremendous, but the music itself is so varied and you never know what you’ll get. Working with Hayden Calhoun creating music has proven to be an amazing combination. Brenden also has talented musicians in his interchangeable band, including guitarists Tyler McClane and Corey Burnard, drummers Jeremy Robertson and Chris Badolato, and bassists Tim Risser and Dan Krol. No matter who is playing with him at any given show, you know you’ll be witnessing a great performance. I’ve had the opportunity to see Brenden live a few times, and I believe his stage show keeps getting stronger. If you have the opportunity to see one of his energetic performances, don’t miss it!
Brenden has a couple shows coming up that have been announced already, and he’s working on more for the rest of this year and also 2025 already. The next two upcoming shows include:
Saturday, September 21st: With Emarosa at Artie’s Bar And Grill in Frenchtown, NJ
Saturday, September 28th: Battle Of The Bands By Gettysburg Bike Week at The Barn Resort in Gettysburg, PA. There will be six bands competing for a spot in the Gettysburg Bike Week 2025 lineup.
Stay tuned to Brenden Starr’s socials for more show announcements! You can follow Brenden on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Rider Photography
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