dark folk / lo-fi / gauzy 
James Bracken cut his teeth as a sideman lending his soulful vibrato and rhythm playing to Ian Hilmer’s Stagefright, an alternative string band from southern MN. The band performed extensively regionally, steadily gaining grassroots momentum circulating live bootlegs but never releasing an album, which ultimately ended the band and each of the members went on to front their own project.  

Several hundred bar gigs later a fortuitous connection with Rochester producer Fires of Denmark led to a productive series of recording sessions documenting Bracken’s expansive catalog and tracking a brand new batch of songs set to be released as Echo Messenger.

From the Mountaintop (acoustic)

When You Wake In The Morning

Happy Friday The 13th and all things Halloween.

Let’s dance our cares away at the Masquerade

There, at the stroke of midnight
Time, without asking, begins unmasking
the power of its nameless might
The clock is tick-tocking
When the raven comes knocking
Rapping thrice at the door
Nevermore
Nevermore
Nevermore.

Masquerade

When Tom approached me with this piano melody, the initial arrangement and the title to which he hoped I’d add lyrics and vocals, I thought it was almost unnecessary as the piece already said everything required. Shortly afterwards, Jussi had added sublime guitar which offered a hopeful balance in the mood. Knowing what Tom was referring to without discussing it openly I wrote these words from a similar position of experience. I contrasted the first verse of a woman at her peak with the second verse of a woman in decline to heighten the emotion. I found that the spoken word approach allowed more emotion to flow from both the music and the words. Tom had the great idea to ask Hidefumi to complete the song with a phenomenal solo. Thank you to everyone who helped make this come together, and a very special thanks to all of you for listening.

Music composition, piano and other instrumentation - https://soundcloud.com/tom-r-gnier
First guitar and guitar arrangement - https://soundcloud.com/juswel
Lyrics and vocals - https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett
Final guitar and guitar arrangement - https://soundcloud.com/boon-suzuki

Image of a painted door in Funchal, Madeira - Douglas Corrance (https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCorrancePhotographer)

She knows just what it feels like now.
I think she’s losing it, I think she’s losing it. 
When she is almost ready, 
She will lose her reserve 
And her inhibition too.
Then she’ll lose herself in herself and then she’ll be free,
To be what she wants, what she wants to be.

She knows not who she feels like now.
I know she’s losing it, I know she’s losing it. 
As if she's gone already, 
She has lost her reserve 
And her inhibition too.
Already lost herself in herself and now she’s elsewhere,
Knows not what she wants, nor who she used to be.

She's Losing It - Tom Régnier/Jussi Welin/Mark J Bennett/Boon-Suzuki

A song about a long-distance relationship.

MAYBE SOMEDAY (c) JunkHeap Jan 26 2024

She loves him, he loves her.
Living far away from one another due to circumstance.
Occasions where they meet and their love blossoms.
The hardest time is being apart when you so want to see them.

She doesn't have the money, he's flat broke.
Travel seldom happens, but they won't flow apart.
So they speak through their phones;
work hard for the next time when they can hold each other, 
so, so close,
lost in the moment.

Their love it makes them work so much harder,
to live together and share their worlds.
Maybe someday, but not today.
 
The crescendo building 
near Iguazu Falls in Argentina,
that's where he wants to say the words to her.

She dreams of the quiet of an old growth forest in BC, 
let the trees share their wisdom, 
while they stare in each others eyes.
She's not going to lie, she melts when he looks deep.

Br.

Maybe someday.
Sippin’ hot chocolate on a train going to nowhere, 
holding hands...
Sleeping in on a rainy day, making sure not to plan anything, 
so difficult these days.
Their hearts feel, and they can dream.  
It'll happen where they can both meet, and be together,
be together, forever.
Maybe someday.

Their love it makes them work so much harder,
to live together and share their worlds.
Maybe someday, but not today.

uh, uh, uh ohh...

outro.

Maybe Someday

Der Abendstern (Composer: Robert Schumann, Lyricist: Hoffmann von Fallersleben)

Pick Me Up On Your Way Down--Gene Jumper- ( cover song )

This is a favorite song of a friend of mine, so thought I'd do this for him. we had a conversation about the way it ended and my thought is that the one that was being left behind asked for Boots, as a way of saying "These boots are made for walking' because its quite obvious the one who is leaving isn't going to miss the one she or he, is saying basically 'good bye ' Anyway this is my humble version of this song and I thank you for the listen and any comment if you choose to leave one. Ya'll take care of one another and yourself .

Spanish Boots of Spanish Leather -Dylan Cover - 6:27:24, 12.51 AM

Annomally.

Lord Jesus we Love You!!!
Te amamos Precioso Señor!!!

1-The gift of righteousness is
Measured in abundance.
The depths of His love I’ll never understand.
His love reaches me and you;
His mercy goes farther too.
The One on the throne of God
Is called the Lamb.

	So why not open up and
	Call His name O Lord?
	Find your spirit where His grace
	Has been outpoured.
	Call His name, taste His grace,
	Exercise before His face!
	He’s longing and yearning.
	He’s hoping and waiting.
	He’s ever desiring for you to turn to Him.

2-He knows your deepest thought,
Your every situation.
He understands your heart,
He knows your history.
There’s nothing in His way.
He’s just waiting for you to say,
“Lord Jesus, my wandering heart
I give to Thee.”



🌹🎻🌺🎶🌱🌷🌸



1-Cuán abundante es el don de la justicia,
F G C C7
Lo hondo de Su amor, nunca entenderé,
F G
Nos alcanza ya Su amor
C E Am
Cuánta compasión mostró,
F G C C⁷
Mirad en el trono está el Cordero fiel.

F G C C⁷
Por qué no abrirte y llamarle “¡Oh Señor!”,
F G C C⁷
Ve a tu espíritu donde gracia derramó;
F G C E Am
Llámale, búscale, ejercítate ante Él,
C F C F
Él es quien anhela, añora y espera,
C G G⁷
Y siempre desea que tú
C F C
Te vuelvas a Él!!

2. Él sabe que hay en ti y todo lo que sientes,
Él te conoce bien, tu historia y situación,
Es cierto, Él listo está,
Mas tu voz quiere escuchar:
“Te rindo, Señor Jesús, mi corazón.”



🌹🎻🌺🎶🌱🌷🌸🌹🎻🎶🌺

Cuán_ Abundante _es _el _Don _de_ la _Justicia 🌹🎻🎶 The _Gift _of _Righteousness 🌹🎻🎶

same same song, just in cebuano 



Nagmata ko
andam sa bug-at
nga pirmi naa sa dughan

Murag kabalo na ang lawas
unsa’y mosunod

Misulod ang kahayag
bugnaw
hilom

Ang istorya nga balik-balik
murag napul-an na

Gisulti nako
ang daang ngalan
hinay ra

Naghulat ko’g kasakit
wala man

Usa ra diay ka pulong
nga dugay ra nakong gipasan

Gitan-aw nako ang dughan
kung naa pay kusog nga kasaba
kung naa pay kinahanglan ikupot

Pero hilom ang balay
gaan ang hangin

Murag hilanat
nga kahibalo na
nga panahon na mohawa

Mitindog ko
dili dali
dili kusog

Ug sa unang higayon
wala na nako gidala
ang kaugalingon

Wala ko nawala

Naglakaw ko
padulong
sa mahimong ako

Gibilin nako
dili tungod kay wala’y bili

Kundili
kay igo na

Walay kasuko
walay mahay

Pasalamat lang

Gisaligan ko sa salog
wala ko ipaluya

Ug karon
kining buntaga
akua na

ibilin (cebuano)

dark-folk/gauzy/lo-fi/singer-songwriter

James Bracken found a fortuitous connection that led to a productive series of recording sessions documenting Bracken’s expansive catalog and tracking a brand new batch of songs released as Echo Messenger.    

Instagram 
https://www.instagram.com/echo.messenger


Local rag...
https://www.postbulletin.com/lifestyle/arts-and-entertainment/tuesday-tracklist-echo-messenger?fbclid=IwAR3oL-B7JWfeihD-ANDbGLom56QGouNqRRPEsU6e_YRWnXsvasrWEwVqYps

Live performance...
https://youtu.be/NuHSe3DGuYA?si=w7JLTgwH2OJXT_wk

Self produced album...
https://youtu.be/MpFcmCt57q4?si=JJhdjLRHkgVzn66E

From the Mountaintop (acoustic)

EchoMessenger