Brea Fournier & The Dream Ballet – Not My Soulmate (2024)
Influenced by the likes of Paramore, Joan Jett, Cyndi Lauper and Blondie, Brea Fournier is a feminine force of nature oozing bold beats and those brightly coloured jump and down cause you can vibes. A graduate of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, as well as having a background in musical theatre, Fournier captures the angst and joy of being a twentysomething in the 21st century. Driving along this powerful message is the collective pop-punk/pop-rock blast The Dream Ballet featuring Ben Shanblatt (guitar), Noah Rosner (bass), Sophia Bondi (drums) and Fournier (vocals).
Almost a year since the release of their first single ‘Petty Stuff’ – well, ten months to be exact – Brea Fournier & The Dream Ballet bring audiences the astounding debut rock opera Manic Pixie Dream Girl!. Recorded with producer Barb Morrison, engineered by Jeremy Kinney, Matt Graff, Dan Malsch, and Sam Warfield, mastered by Randy Merrill and mixed by Jonathan Jetter, Manic Pixie Dream Girl! is a concept album that “boldly challenges and redefines the stereotypical portrayal of its titular character delving into the struggles of self-perception and societal expectations…” Along with previous singles ‘Petty Stuff’ and ‘Nine of Swords’, the single ‘Not My Soulmate’ carries us through the album’s theme of a “post-MeToo era feminism…” It is ‘Not My Soulmate’ that takes our fancy in this review.
While Brea Fournier & The Dream Ballet slice through the pop-punk/pop-rock genre drifting from Paramore’s angsty upbeat to an almost Dresden Dolls obscurity, ‘Not My Soulmate’ takes a softer seat amidst songs like ‘Petty Stuff’ and ‘The Masochist’. A flit of Americana meets indie-pop teeters throughout ‘Not My Soulmate’ making it rather unique in the pop-punk opera with the softer sprinkling of country as a soothing lilt in a roar of music.
Skipping from Nashville to New York, ‘Not My Soulmate’ fuses several styles with a check of twangy country lingering beneath. This is particularly intriguing, and rather refreshing, as it highlights the band’s versatility and innovation. Moreover, the song acts as a breath of air offering a pleasant hush; however, a profound message lurks in the laidback melody. A personal narrative of the protagonist’s journey of “breaking free from societal limitations”, Fournier’s vocals have a screaming for attention belying the soulful warmth.
Find out more about Brea Fournier & The Dream Ballet on their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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