Jack Bratt is a Brisbane performer who has recently received the prestigious Grant McLennan Fellowship jointly funded by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Australian Performing Rights Association. Founded in 2007 in honour of the late Queensland singer-songwriter and co-frontman of The Go-Betweens, Grant McLennan, the Fellowship offers the recipient an opportunity to travel to New York, London or Berlin for up to six months and use the experience of being immersed in a foreign and vibrant musical culture to further develop their own artistic skills. These three cities were of special significance in McLennan’s life.
Bratt has just released his debut single called ‘Spades’ which perfectly illustrates why he was chosen for the award. It is a laid back guitar driven piece, inherently cool and laconic with a distinctive expressive sound. Bratt says of the themes in the song:
I’m a classic overthinker, and Spades is a bit of a snapshot of me over-analysing everything. It’s a lot about comparing where I’m at in my life to my friends and family, thinking about whether or not I’m where I should be compared to, say, when my parents were at the same age.
The accompanying video matches this song perfectly: a cinematic black and white video that captures Bratt’s enigmatic personality in a vintage setting, matching his sartorial splendour and iconic Fender Jaguar guitar:
‘Spades’ is available now through all the usual download/streaming sites.
