Braxton Cook has consistently remained one of our faves here at SBHQ. Whether it be his expert musicianship or his effortless versatility, it's always going to be quality whenever his name comes up. His last effort, Fire Sign, further melded his jazz sensibilities with the modern sounds of R&B and hip-hop to great effect. It seems he's utilized his time during the pandemic to further his creative output and is offering his first listen to what he's cooked up with new single "Gold" — and SoulBounce has your exclusive first listen to the track.
"Gold" comes from a personal place for the artist, as it's about him trying to strike a balance between work and home life during the quarantine. Braxton is almost a one-man band on the song, with him playing flute and guitar on the track in addition to providing vocals. He taps bass player Henoc Montes, keyboardist Julius Rodriques and drummer Hablot Brown to flesh out the rest of the song's sound. Starting with a lush guitar melody courtesy of Braxton himself, he sings about a conversation he's had with his significant other that concludes with the singer coming to the realization that leads into the chorus, which gets to the heart of the matter. "All things that glitter / Don't mean that it's gold / But our love is special / We've gotta hold on," he sings. "Love can fade fast if you let it grow old / But our love remains unfazed."
"'Gold' depicts an average evening at home with my wife during the past year," he told us about the song. "Like a lot of my songs, I tend to speak about the internal struggles with finding balance between my life as a full-time artist and my life as a family man. At some point this past year, quarantined together, it all started to click for me. I was finally able (with the help of my wife) to strike the balance I needed to best nurture my relationship, contribute more in the house and stay productive professionally. This song is a reminder to me that what my wife and I have built over the past nine years is rare and I always need to prioritize us just as much as I prioritize my work. In short — balance is key."
Braxton Cook promises that a new album from him is on the way soon. We're anxious to hear it, but with the recent birth of his baby boy, we're more than happy to let him take his time as he and his wife adjust to the joys of parenthood. In the meantime, enjoy an exclusive stream of "Gold" right here and be sure to support it when it's released on October 1st.
