Favorite Click Of The Day: Brett Gleason on The Huffington Post

'It took six months to realize we were living different fantasies and another six to admit they were incompatible. Though I'm embarrassed I could have let that happen, I long to be so moved again.'

Brett Gleason

Brett Gleason shot by Stanley Stellar

It has been over five years since I was first introduced to the music and the artistry of Brett Gleason. In that five years, I have been continually surprised and impressed at the breadth of his talent, his strength and his refusal to produce anything close to typical or ordinary. Whether it be his music, his videos or his modeling, Brett always manages to produce something unique to the voice of who Brett Gleason is.

This comes through loudly in not just his music, but the visuals used to express it. It comes through in his modeling and the risks he takes getting naked both physically and emotionally in front of the camera. This is certainly seen in these images from the incredible Stanley Stellar. Brett says that he'd never done anything quite like this before and loves how statuesque the images turned out. This same raw emotion and nakedness comes through in his writing, whether be a song or a thought piece like his most recently article for The Huffington Post.

In Brett's recent Op-ed piece, Brett asks the question, Does Love Fade as We Grow Older? It is a question I think all of us have asked as we age, maybe especially those moving through live on their own. Most of us experienced passionate, even frenzied relationships when we were in our teens and early twenties. I cringe remembering my own desperation to hold to to someone who so clearly didn't want to be held, especially by me. Those late night calls, though tears and the begging.... As painful as it was, there was an intensity that I can't help but look back on with a fondness. Maybe even with a little sadness, that such intensity may never be experienced, in quite the same way... again.

Brett Gleason • Expiration Date

Given it has been just over a year since the official debut of Brett's album (which you can check out HERE:), it is appropriate of course to add a song. Although Expiration Date is not on that album, given it was Brett's first attempt at a love song, it certainly beautifully fits the theme. Please check out Brett's full article on The Huffington Post HERE:

Brett Gleason

Brett Gleason on tumblr

Brett Gleason 'Futile & Fooled’

'Gleason’s first solo effort, ‘The Dissonance’ is a unique fusion of alternative rock and electronica, combining the dark electronic presence of Trent Reznor with the earnest, piano-based pop of Ben Folds. From Brooklyn by way of Long Island, Brett discovered a love for music at young age after an accident left him with a severe speech impediment, causing him to spend his free time alone with music and books. Later, he would attend the New School University in New York where he studied writing and music. In 2010, Gleason made his debut with the EP ''The Dissonance', which he performed and recorded himself.'



'Brett Gleason is the kind of revolutionary that is so far ahead of his time, and so different to anything around, that he may perhaps only be fully appreciated in the future, when he is recognized for pushing the boundaries of music further than anyone before him.'
-Lukas Clark Memler, Get Frank-



It was last April that I was first introduced to the music of Brett Gleason. I was doing a post on a photo shoot he did with the wonderful Nicholas Smith (Brett Gleason by Nicholas Smith). As I usually do when I am working on a post about a musician I had Brett's music playing in the background. Although I connected instantly to Brett's lyrics. The sound the style were new to be and the connection a bit more of a struggle to find. I think part of this is Brett's aim. He seems to challenge his listeners to listen to something new, something you cannot easily hum to, something that does not allow your mind to drift. Brett is not creating something for the background of your life it has to be front and center, Brett makes music you're actually forced to listen and pay attention to. The more I wrote about Brett the more his experiences, his pain, the life of solitary contemplation filled with music lessons and literature he discusses, the tighter the connection became. Some connections are made easily but when they do occur they often become the strongest.



http://brettgleason.com
http://itunes.com/brettgleason
http://facebook.com/brettgleasonfan
http://twitter.com/brettgleason
http://youtube.com/brettgleasonmusic

All images of Brett in this post from photographer Walt Cessna.

'He's really a pleasure to shoot with, very prolific, CONSTANTLY shooting, he's definitely a big presence in the underground NYC art scene (I call him the 'Nan Goldin of the 21st Century!)'
Brett Gleason

I am a big fan of Cessa's work, it is perfectly matched with Gleason's music. Both express that mix of pleasure and pain associated with being raw and exposed. Check out more of Walt Cessna on his tumblr page.

Brett Gleason: Expiration Date

'Sometimes I don't think there is anyone for me.'

I first gave FH readers a sneak peak of Brett Gleason's Expiration Date back in 2015. In the piece, (HERE) I was showcasing an article Brett had written for The Huffington Post entitled, 'Does Love Fade as we Grow Older'. Song writers often write about the beginning of love and the ending of love, but not as many write about the death of love. The loss, beyond the initial break up to the deep pain and internal grief that lasts far beyond the breakup. Check out Brett's new video for Expiration Date below and more of the full album on itunes and on Brett's official site.

'Brett Gleason is my personal Rock Star. I have never had a friend that I loved so much be as different from myself as he is. We have been photographer & favorite muse since 2010 and best friends just as long. He is definitely a part of my extended Cessna muse family, dudes that I can just chill out with smoking blunts, talking shit and just being as in the present as possible. Without them I would be a very lonely guy ;)'

Walt Cessna

If you have followed my features on Brett, you know the work of artist Walt Cessna. Walt has been photographing Brett for years, and I have featured many of his images over the years. The last image, Brett laying on the pink is one of my favorite images, both erotic and beautifully dramatic. Sadly Walt died last week and I wanted to pay tribute to his work by featuring some of my favorite shots of Brett.. Walt always managed to capture more than what was in front of him, his lens went beneath the eyes staring back at him to a hidden piece of the subjects soul.

Brett Gleason

Brett Gleason on tumblr

A Look Back: Brett Gleason by Nicolas Smith

From April 10th, 2010:


Last year I profiled photographer Nicolas Smith. Please check that post out HERE: My love for his work has only grown since then. Here, Nicolas shoots Brett Gleason. Love these shots that were taken in 2007 and 2008.

It is my belief that often what is seen through the lens is a combination not just of the model, but maybe more importantly, the life experiences of the photographer. It is these two things together that lead to a great shot. Never have I seen this theory materialize more than in the work of Nicolas Smith. Check out more at Nicolas Smith's wonderful site HERE:



Brett Gleason:

"A Brooklyn based artist from Long Island, Brett got involved with music early after a childhood accident left him with a severe speech impediment, leading him to a life of solitary contemplation filled with music lessons and literature, earning him not only an arsenal of instruments at his command but a truly original and developed perspective."




"Brett Gleason's first solo effort, 'The Dissonance' is a unique fusion of alternative rock and electronica, combining the low end crunch of industrial music with the melodic piano based style of a singer/songwriter. High brow yet accessible, cerebral yet emotional, Brett Gleason's debut is getting impassioned responses and drawing comparisons to a wide array of artists including Trent Reznor, Tori Amos, Amanda Palmer, Ben Folds and Joe Jackson."

You can find out more about Brett and check out his music ( I think my favorite track was 'The Worst Part') at his great site found HERE:

Brett Gleason by Nicolas Smith

Last year I profiled photographer Nicolas Smith. Please check that post out HERE: My love for his work has only grown since then. Here, Nicolas shoots Brett Gleason. Love these shots that were taken in 2007 and 2008.

It is my belief that often what is seen through the lens is a combination not just of the model, but maybe more importantly, the life experiences of the photographer. It is these two things together that lead to a great shot. Never have I seen this theory materialize more than in the work of Nicolas Smith. Check out more at Nicolas Smith's wonderful site HERE:



Brett Gleason:

"A Brooklyn based artist from Long Island, Brett got involved with music early after a childhood accident left him with a severe speech impediment, leading him to a life of solitary contemplation filled with music lessons and literature, earning him not only an arsenal of instruments at his command but a truly original and developed perspective."




"Brett Gleason's first solo effort, 'The Dissonance' is a unique fusion of alternative rock and electronica, combining the low end crunch of industrial music with the melodic piano based style of a singer/songwriter. High brow yet accessible, cerebral yet emotional, Brett Gleason's debut is getting impassioned responses and drawing comparisons to a wide array of artists including Trent Reznor, Tori Amos, Amanda Palmer, Ben Folds and Joe Jackson."

You can find out more about Brett and check out his music ( I think my favorite track was 'The Worst Part') at his great site found HERE:

Shorts: Brett Gleason by Walt Cessna

'I take pictures because I simply can't help myself from documenting everything I see. I am visually obsessed and dream in photos. I wouldn't have it any other way.'

Walt Cessna

I was first introduced to Brett Gleason, the man and his music, when profiling his work with photographer Nicholas Smith back in 2010. Since then, I have followed his career, his songs, his work. The last few weeks have been non stop for Brett beginning with a live New Years Even concert on Youtube (which I never could get connected to) and a live Stream-A-Thon which just ended today. The purpose of the stream was to promote and fund raise for the completion of Brett's full time album.

Although his primary focus is music, his new music video and single, Imposter is coming next month, it was his work in front of the camera that I got to know first, and continues to hold my attention. Brett brings a depth and intensity to his work as a model and weaves in the same level of soul he instills his music and writing with. Brett has a sexy everyman quality, relatable yet complex. A great head of hair and one of the best chests only add to the package. Brett has been featured on FH in images shot by a number of photographers. Nicholas Smith, whose work with Brett you can see HERE: and Thomas Evans who showed us much, much more of Brett in features HERE: & HERE:

I have also featured Brett's work with photographer Walt Cessna whose work I used to help promote Brett's first solo effort, The Dissonance. Walt has been documenting faces, bodies and souls since he was a teenager and says that for a brief moment in the 90's he was 'THE up & coming young buck', shooting for The Village Voice, Interview, Seventeen and many others. Walt left photography for a short time, but in 2000 was introduced to the digital world. Although his first digital camera was a clunky early primitive version, Walt says that he is now happily again ensconced in the world of image obsession and visual distraction.

Walt's new images of Brett certainly proved a visual distraction for me. Brett's shorts, the primary wardrobe, but really all that is needed. The concept may appear simple, but I love the resulting images are some of my favorite shots of Brett.

Walt Cessna Tumblr

Walt Cessna Official Site

Brett Gleason Official Site

Brett Gleason: Destruction

Above: Single cover for 'Destruction' by Brett Lindell

It's not likely you will ever hear Brett Gleason's music while standing in an elevator...and that's a good think. Brett doesn't make background music, his songs are loud, provocative and make force you to pay attention. His new single Destruction was released this week and I think it might be my favorite of the songs I have listened to off his upcoming release The Thawing.

Below: Brett by Nephi Niven


'Building on my philosophy that a song can be both bruising and vulnerable, abrasive yet beautiful, these new songs draw more from my classical piano background while still inhabiting lush, electronic soundscapes both haunting and hypnotic.'
Brett Gleason



Destruction, available now on iTunes is the first single from Brett's upcoming sophomore EP, The Thawing- now streaming on BandCamp where pre-orders are being taken for the 3-20 release.

More Brett Gleason on FH:

Woken: Brett Gleason by Ron Amato

'Alive' is about always being able to find your true self through accessing your dreams & passions - whether it's finding your self in a dysphoric political landscape or an unhappy job, your essential self is always just beneath the surface, waiting to empower you no matter how unhappy or hopeless you may feel.'

Brett Gleason

If you've been following my posts about Brett Gleason's Manifest, you know the album and it's songs have been building to a crescendo. Alive, Brett's new single, is certainly the climax to some of the beautifully dark emotions and themes Brett explored and exposed in some of the other albums other tracks. When I last featured Manifest, the skin was raw, with one of my favorite tracks from the album, Expiration Date which explores isolation and loss. With Alive, the skin is wet, washed and fresh with hope that light, and love are not only possible, but also near.

With the current political climate, I know a lot of us are hoping for an awakening, something I couldn't help but think of while I listened to Alive's .  The lyrics, 'The Dream is Alive, It had been turned upon it’s head, condemned, assaulted, declared dead: But now we rise!'  are powerful words that sum not only what is happening, but also hopefully, where we're headed.

I also couldn't think of better images to sum up this 'rise' than Brett's shoot with New York photographer Ron Amato. I previously featured Ron's work back in 2013 (Into The Woods) and have been really enjoying some of the current theme's he has been exploring including The Box, as well as Ron's uniquely artistic response to #45.

Brett Gleason

Manifest on itunes

Ron Amato Photographer