BRENNAN WEDL - Brennan Wedl

When we talk about creative synergies, we're referring to a union of different talents, ideas, and artistic visions that find common ground and elevate each other's potential — which makes the term not entirely fitting for a solo debut. And yet Brennan Wedl's album is the product of a set of qualities and talents that rarely coalesce in a single creative entity; perhaps that's what persuaded Katie Crutchfield (aka Waxahatchee) and MJ Lenderman to hand her the opening slot on their recent tours.

Originally from Nashville but now based in Minnesota, Brennan Wedl is no newcomer, having spent over a decade on stage, first with punk rockers Dazey & The Scouts and then solo as a folksinger. It falls to Anti to reveal her full potential, and that's exactly what happens on this unexpected self-titled debut album, co-produced by Katie Crutchfield and Brad Cook and featuring contributions from members of Snail Mail and Bon Iver.
The singer-songwriter returns to her role as incandescent rocker with a set of self-penned songs, thirteen tracks that could each lay claim to lead-single status, thanks to a consistent quality of songwriting that's the first thing setting this album apart from much of the similar output out there.

The thirteen tracks on this debut are direct, raw, and cutting, yet surreal; Brennan Wedl carries both the roots swagger of Lucinda Williams, heard in the weathered ballad "High Priestess" and the beguiling "Airplane Movies", and the dark fury of the finest female protagonists of grunge in "Tasmanian Devil".
What's most striking, though, is her gift for a lightning-quick melodic instinct: a song like the gorgeous "Just Another Daddy Who Did Me Wrong" first draws you in with its innate simplicity, then seduces you completely with a bittersweet charm reminiscent of Angel Olsen.

Buoyed by a riveting single ("Pretty Little Fantasy"), gritty rock numbers with impressive guitar work ("Scorpio"), and a sensual, visceral streak of romanticism ("I Wanna Be Your Tv", "Fake Cowboy"), Brennan Wedl's debut will remind many listeners of Liz Phair's thrilling debut ("June Gloom"), but also of an unexpected mix of Aimee Mann and Courtney Love ("Two Dollar Pistol"). It's a record to blast from start to finish, even when the songwriter picks up an acoustic guitar for a lonesome-toned country ballad ("When The Crazy Comes Out").

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07/10/2026