Review: Braden Lam – “The Coast EP”

Braden Lamoureux is an Uxbridge, ON singer-songwriter who just released his debut record, The Coast EP, this past summer. The album was self-produced alongside Johnathan Isaac and Dave Chester at Chalet Studios. To record The Coast EP, Lamoureux recruited top local musicians including Caleb Kennedy, Johnathan Issac, Elena Damus, Dave Chester, Leslie Higgins, and Cory Adrian.

The Coast EP is surprising work coming from such a young artist; written and released prior to heading into his first year of University. Braden Lam’s debut showcases his easy and relatable vocals and catching indie acoustic rock style influenced by the likes of Canadian staples Said The Whale and Hey Rosetta!

The multi-instrumental, “Leave Me A Song” is the perfect introduction to the meticulous musicianship and rich sound to be found throughout the EP.

Standout tracks include “Like Father Like Son,” which appears strikingly personal, and “Rainfall,” a cheery, toe-tapping ballad. This wonderfully infectious song will have you singing along on your first listen. “To the Coast” plays as Lamoureux’s natural expression of celebration and lament, anticipating his relocation to Canada’s East Coast.

Braden Lam deftly sweeps the listener into immersive songs that can surprise with an unexpected but masterful bridge, such as in “Like Father Like Son,” or allow the space to build and swell as in “Lost & Found.”

This young Canadian talent makes a strong impression with this debut EP and if this is any indication of what’s the come, expect Braden Lam to become a familiar name in the indie world. There is plenty of room to experiment with song structure and diversity of sound but as he says in track 4, “I need to be lost/ before I can be found.” I look forward to see him explore, paddle into new creative waters, and come ever more into his own voice and sound. Also, to see what influence the move to the coast will bring . Who knows – down the road we may see Lamoureux take up the mantle of Joel Plaskett.

Braden Lam’s The Coast EP forges a delicate path between melancholia and exuberance. He brings a youthful energy into subdued folk-rock, and firmly plants his flag in the Canadian indie landscape. A solid debut release from a promising young artist.