Brian Skiff - On the Edge of Sunrise

Brian Skiff

On the Edge of Sunrise
self-released; 2017

3.5 out of 5

By Dan Weston

Brian Skiff is an artist from Massachusetts who recorded an album entitled On the Edge of Sunrise in his studio basement. He makes an eclectic blend of music and the production and recording quality varies quite a bit.

He opens with “Breaking Point” which is an instrumental song that veers towards Pink Floyd. There is a cosmic sensibility to it with a never-ending guitar solo that is layered with pads. The feeling is mostly uplifting but occasionally feels pretty dissonant. A solid opener that got me intrigued for what else would come.

Up next is “Over the Edge” which is one of the highlights. I thought his vocals sounded especially good on this track. It’s slightly bluesy with bright guitar and moves at a fairly slow pace. I was somewhat reminded of Tom Waits. I throughly enjoyed the song. Two thumbs up.

I’m not sure why the dip in recording quality in “Downward Slide” but it simply wasn’t on the same level as the previous two songs. That being said it was still a notable song.

The recording quality improves on “Back Around” which is a pretty straightforward rocker. There is a clear ’70s vibe here. The vocals sat a little too on top of the mix and was a couple db's softer than the previous song. It’s also an instrumental track. 

“Terra Maternal” has a unique vibe to it. The song felt like I was walking the barren wasteland. I liked the vibe and a little more clarity would have helped. He closes with “Upward Slide” which takes another dip in recording quality. 

Skiff may at some point want to consider handing his mixes to a professional mastering engineer that can make their songs sound more cohesive. Overall, there were some inspired moments with “Over the Edge” being his most successful attempt.

​Skiff has a copious amount of talent in many different ways and he explores that throughout the album.

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