Singer, songwriter and producer Sean McConnell’s latest collection of songs A Horrible Beautiful Dream approaches the difficult task of asking questions of what one really thinks they know, in the simultaneous struggle of not being afraid of the answers that emerge. Musically, the project wraps McConnell’s rich voice in moments of dark intimacy as well as vivid brightness, and guests such as The Wood Brothers, Natalie Hemby, Audra Mae and Dan Tyminski underscore McConnell’s versatility as creative partner and commentator. McConnell’s goal in the creation of A Horrible Beautiful Dream was an album reflecting the chaotic time in which it was made, but still striving for timelessness. “You can look at the suffering of the world and you can look at the beauty of the world and you can hold them in your hands and just be present with that and not have to even understand it,” he says.
Bowen*Young
With haunting and ethereal songs that masterfully delve into the depths of ferocious love, heartbreaking loss and steadfast hope, the debut album, “Dangerous Love,” by new duo Bowen Young unveils a unique style of music the couple has dubbed “Cinematic Americana.” Bowen Young’s timeless debut record created by Clare Bowen and husband Brandon Robert Young is a multi-sensory feast. The music, produced by Sean McConnell, invokes themes painted by the duo’s powerfully authentic lyrics and hypnotic harmonies. Clare, the charismatic actress who played Scarlett O’Connor in the popular show “Nashville,” is known as a ray of sunshine around the world. Brandon, who began singing at age five under the gentle guidance of his mother, had a very different upbringing and path to Nashville. It was serendipity that brought Bowen Young together in 2013, when Brandon was a last-minute replacement for Clare’s no-show duet partner for her first solo set at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. They immediately discovered they had wonderful chemistry both onstage and off. Brandon proposed to Clare at the Ryman Auditorium during the couple’s Grand Ole Opry set in 2015. They were married by John Carter Cash at the Cash Cabin in 2017.
