Bay Area seven-piece band Con Brio has returned with a sizzling new single with the release of “Traunch,” the first preview of their forthcoming third record Scream At It. It’s the kind of song that serves as both a reiteration and a redefinition of the band’s bombastic energy — one rooted in their volatile mix of rock, soul, and R&B. After dropping two back-to-back albums starting with 2017’s Paradise and followed a year later with their sophomore record Explorer, the various elements that made up Con Brio regrouped and reshuffled.
Their latest single “Traunch” indtroduces to new core additions to the band’s fiery spirit: powerhouse singer Sarah Clarke and AJ McKinley. They join the Con Brio rhythm and horn section that’s served as the band’s backbone and comprised of Benjamin Andrews (guitar), Jonathan Kirchner (bass), Andrew Laubacher (drums), Marcus Stephens (saxophone) and Brendan Liu (trumpet).
On “Traunch” the vocal surges of Clarke cut an electric swathe through the song’s already blistering and shuddering melody. One that crashes ecstatically alongside smashing cymbals and thunderous guitars. It’s the kind of slow-burning rock-‘n’-roll that’s bent and warped via crescnedo (musically and soulfully) into a smolderingly anthemic rager.
The music video for “Traunch” captures that fire and intensity in spectacular form. Created by Alexa Melo the film follows the band’s rapt performance at their studio in Oakland, CA as they power through its ember-flecked rhythms and scintillating riffs. It’s no surprise that Con Brio has inspired comparisons to everyone from Tower of Power to Alabama Shakes as it’s clear via the video and no doubt anyone who has seen them live that the seven-piece band are a live wire of energy that’s drawn from the very soul of the music they perform. And Clarke like Brittany Howard is an image of such unrestrained passion as she howls alongside the song’s already combustible catharsis.
Visit Con Brio on their website, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Con Brio festival dates
5/6 – Wildflower Music Festival – Chico, CA
6/29 – High Sierra Music Festival – Quincy, CA
8/4 – Under the Moon – Navarro, CA
Words: Steven Ward
Watch the music video for “Traunch” the new single from Con Brio below!
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