In 1888 in the “Maxims and Arrows” section of his book “Twilight of the Idols” German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously said, “Was mich nicht umbringt macht mich starker!” For those not familiar with the German language, roughly translated it means, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger!” For Americana musician Michael Brondstetter (http://brondmusic.com) this is more than just an often quoted cliché.
Maybe it began with his parents’ constant moving from city to city and their eventual divorce when he was a young boy which resulted in his entering the work force while still a youngster to help make ends meet for his family. Maybe it was working in hospitals or the recent loss of his wife from cancer. Whatever it was Michael had to find a way to ground himself from the turmoil that surrounded him throughout his life. And music was the way.
“Iron Mountain” is a five song CD and it’s his debut release. It was those kinds of hard knocks of life that not only made him stronger but inspired his writing. Listening to “Dark Cloud Blues”, the first track of the EP, he leaves you with the feeling that what he’s singing about here is more than just a little autobiographical. It’s almost so uncomfortably close to home and so full of the pain and loss that touches everyone’s lives at one time or another that it leaves you self-consciously mesmerized. It’s that guilty feeling you get when you pass a serious car crash on the road but you just can’t turn away and stop looking.
That unsettling vibe is also evident on the bare bones approach he employs on “Ghost in the Walls”. Sung to only a lone six string guitar only makes it more mournful than haunting. Brondstetter renders the performance in such a rough and unpolished way that, to some, it may appear to be done somewhat haphazardly. To me it feels like he succeeds in leaving splinters in your heart after you’ve heard it. Art, like life, is not always pretty. But true art should always leave you feeling something, for better or for worse.
“Friends” shifts the gears on “Iron Mountain” and steers us out of the darkness and into the light. Set to a bouncy three/four time it underscores a reported comment the singer/songwriter made during an interview about the outcome of the trials and tribulations that influence his writing and how those events have made him, “…more appreciative of life and living. I believe in living it and enjoying it with the hope of the future to drive us forward. I try to write about the things we all experience and, despite getting your butt kicked, fighting back and trying to show the hope in everything we do.” To sum “Friends” up; it’s all about how even the hard times are made easier when you have your friends to face them with.
Michael Brondstetter keeps that keel of going with the positive side on “Love Is the Key”. Like on “Friends” it reaches some nice heights with the help of a bit of country style violin playing and church like choirs. Not wanting his audience to go home with out a goodtime rock and roll number “Tear It Apart” is included as part of the “Iron Mountain” collection. As already pointed out there are two sides of the coin to this man’s soul and each side is a revelation to his listeners.
