The Brevet

The Brevet may call Orange County home, but their roots are in southern Americana. The trio's gearing up to release their sophomore album, American Novel, and today we're thrilled to premiere the video for the record's first single, "Moving Mountains." Like the song's lyrics, its visual counterpart portrays inspiration, hope, and a damn good time. Watch the clip above.

"The song 'Moving Mountains' is meant to inspire - to provide a vigor and a drive to always try to make something of yourself and of life," the band describes. "Since this is our debut video, we wanted to visually exemplify these ideas along with the Epic Americana genre that describes our music. The music video is more of a lifestyle piece which touches upon themes of artistry, perseverance and classic american culture, and it does a great job of introducing us as a band." - PureVolume.com

Members of the Orange County band The Brevet didn't envision their names on music venue signs on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Instead, they wanted their music to be credited on the big screen, and that's exactly what they got.

The four-piece rock group — with members from Irvine, Costa Mesa, Westminster and Los Angeles — has had its music featured in films including "Ashby," starring Mickey Rourke, and "The Good Life," starring Reese Witherspoon.

"We've been really fortunate," said Brevet frontman Aric Chase Damm of Irvine, who sings and writes the music.

Damm grew up with pianist Michael Jones. Both went to Irvine schools, which they credit for their love for music.

While attending Rancho San Joaquin Middle School, the two learned how to play instruments with the help of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, a nonprofit fundraising organization that aids the local schools, including their music programs.

During that same time, the two would record songs — sometimes originals but mostly covers — and sell their CDs for $2 each. Their creative collaboration continued as they attended University High School and even when Damm left to study theater and performance art at the University of Nebraska.

"We were composing a lot of the scores that were in the student films that I was doing, and it kind of created this idea for cinematic music," he said. "As I was doing student films, and Mike and I were composing scores, I'd be calling other bands that we knew to license their music into these films.

"There was such a need for music in film. We developed a love for cinematic, passionate music that evokes certain emotions, like of triumph, challenge or determination."

Eventually, Damm and Jones, who lives in Los Angeles, started to get recognized by licensing agencies. They then formed The Brevet in 2013 by tapping drummer David Aguiar of Westminster and bassist Ben Ross of Costa Mesa.

Damm said he enjoys the opportunity to be a storyteller and connect with people

One of his favorite things about writing scores for films is hearing how the directors decide to use the band's music.

"The way they used our song, 'Hazy Eyes,' in 'Ashby,' the Mickey Rourke film, it was really well done at the end of the movie," Damm said. "It's a song of determination, and the film spins it in a cool way that's different than how I interpreted."

Damm, who said he is inspired by composers like Thomas Newman, said the band members were "naive" at first because they didn't realize just how competitive the business of producing music for films was.

"There were 15 to 20 other bands who were getting in all the films," he said. "Trying to build a brand through that and get noticed through that, we've been super, super fortunate to get in a lot of films. That was our goal all along was to go that route first."

Now, the group, which has a sound reminiscent of Mumford & Sons and Coldplay, is also playing at big music festivals, like South by Southwest in Texas in March. It is scheduled to perform at the upcoming The Rock Boat festival — with artists Gavin DeGraw and Needtobreathe — in January in Miami.

And through it all, Damm still credits the Irvine Public Schools Foundation for much of the band's success.

The Brevet, which plans to release its second album in early 2016, was presented the Rising Star award at the foundation's Spirit of Excellence gala in October by No Doubt guitarist and former Irvine resident Tom Dumont.

"Irvine Public Schools Foundation has been great for us," Damm said. "They've really built us up and made us feel like they're proud of us for what we're doing with our careers and life choices. They've given us the support that we need.

"It's tough taking this route. Especially in the licensing world, you never know if your song is going to get picked up. They've been really supportive of what we're doing and are moved by what we're doing."

Damm said school music programs help create the world's future musical stars, though everyone can benefit from such instruction.

"Putting instruments in kids' hands might make those kids have the opportunity to play music," he said. "Music is just another creative outlet. Everyone in life needs music. It's such an emotional connection that people make with music. You never know who's going to be writing the next big thing." - Brittany Woolsey

As Southern California’s Americana trio the Brevet prepare for the release of their sophomore studio effort, Diffuser has partnered with them to debut the brand new track, ‘Moving Mountains.’ As grand of a title as that is, it’s only matched by the ambitious dexterity of the musicians on the track. Listen to the song below.
The new record, ‘American Novel,’ is set to hit store shelves on Nov. 11, and is the follow-up to ‘Battle of the Heart’ — an album that featured songs you likely heard on the MLB Network, American Idol and several other TV shows.

‘Moving Mountains’ is the new LP’s lead single and perfectly captures the Brevet’s self-proclaimed style of epic Americana. ”We chose it as our first single because, in a way, it expresses an overall theme for the entire album,” the band tells us. “We’re releasing ‘American Novel’ in three chapters, and ‘Moving Mountains’ kind of encompasses the whole thing.”
Fans will no doubt have visions of Mumford and Sons, the Lone Bellow and Of Monsters and Men conjured when listening to ‘Moving Mountains,’ but they’ll find even more cinematic depth in this particular track. “It represents a step forward for us, as a band, as we really dig into our creative process and mature our sound,” the Brevet explain.
The act of moving mountains is no small task, but the Brevet hope their song will exhilerate their listeners: “The song is uplifting. It’s meant to inspire — to provide a vigor and a drive to always try to make something of yourself and of life.” - Chuck Armstrong

Get a sneak peek of Ashby, the new coming-of-age drama now playing in theaters and on VOD! See romance bloom on and off the football field in the music video for “Start To Begin,” performed by The Brevet! The song is featured on Ashby (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) — out now on Lakeshore Records. Watch the full music video now exclusively at Bustle.com!

Ashby, starring Mickey Rourke, Nat Wolff, Emma Roberts and Sarah Silverman is now playing in select theaters (find a theater), On Demand and Digital HD. - Lakeshore Records

Recently iNN has been given the opportunity to enjoy some great pieces of work in the indie music world. The people of Granada Music PR shared some beautiful pieces by The Brevet. The Brevet classify themselves as an just an alternative rock band coming from California. This could not be more wrong.
Yes, The Brevet is a rock band, but you will quickly find that the roots go much deeper. The singer, Aric Damm, has a voice so versatile that it melts your emotions to a puddle of an all night love session. The music accompanies the the emotions so well that you’ll forget that this is an alternative rock album. Simply put, this as if Kings of Leon and Mumford & Sons gave birth to The Brevet.
The Brevet is a fun loving crew of 3. As you already know, Aric Damm provides the vocals, he plucks the strings on the guitar, as well. You will find Michael Jones on keys, and David Aguiar on the Drums. With both providing back up vocals alongside Aric. The music alone by these 3 delivers a elaborate sea of a heartfelt story telling. This artwork they have created is very similar to what you can find in modern folk & country, with an excellent mix of alternative rock. Though noticeable, the warmth of the tracks played is what makes this album come to life.
Lyrically the album is great. Though, the lyrics alone struggle to tell the tale. This may make the lyrics fall a bit short if read without the music accompanying it. That is when Aric gives the lyrics the heart they need. Followed with David and Micheal to bring the music to drive it deep in the ones soul. The album, Battle of the Heart, is a excellent piece of work. This shows that the 3 spared no blood, sweat, or tears in the process.
The overall work is great. The recording is excellent, with no sound quality flaws to be heard. The twelve song set flows so smooth that keeping the album on repeat is unrecognizable. On top trying to imagine how it would sound unplugged brings chills down to ones spine.
Lastly you can grab a listen to one of their tracks from the album above. Or go to their iTunes, or Google Play store page and grab the album for under $10. So, if you are a fan of Kings of Leon grab this album. You will have no regrets. Summary : I am pretty sure I just made love to these guys. - Adrian Santiago

The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns star Nat Wolff seems to be the king of heartfelt, coming of age comedies. In his latest stab at pulling at our heartstrings, 20-year-old Nat Wolff takes on Ashby, where he plays Ed, a 17-year-old high school student who must come to terms with an unlikely friend's terminal fate. Ex-CIA contract killer (Mickey Rourke) is trying to come to make peace with his violent past — and God — before he dies, but addressing his issues in the living world involves dragging Ed into a plan to kill three of his old bosses. Emma Roberts also stars in the dark comedy as Eloise, Ed's classmate.

In this exclusive music video for the film's theme song, The Brevet's "Start to Begin," we see the unconventional meet cute of Ed and Eloise, when Ed is emerging from a cramped school locker. We see Sarah Silverman, fresh off another serious role in I Smile Back, playing Ed's concerned mother. And we see the potential end to Ed's high school romance, all narrated by the catchy beat of the song.

Ashby is in theaters, On Demand, and on iTunes Sept. 25. See the music video below, which features tons of exclusive footage from the film itself, below: - ANNA KLASSEN

The last time Silver Lake rockers The Airborne Toxic Event played Orange County, in August of 2013, it was with an 88-piece orchestra at the massive Pacific Amphitheater. This time around they stripped down to essentials--just the five of them with occasional help on keys and trumpet--at Santa Ana's much more intimate The Observatory. The downsizing of venue was appropriate: Airborne decided to play their much more intimate new album, Songs of God and Whiskey, from start to finish to open the show. A ballsy thing to do, by the way, since the album's material was not only fairly new to fans but also less sonically dramatic or rockin' than stuff like "Sometime Around Midnight" or "Happiness Is Overrated," songs that have sealed Airborne's rep as a sweaty and intense road band.

Not that Songs doesn't deliver. Dropped at the same time as the band's recent "official" Epic release, Dope Machines, and as a complete surprise to everybody, its mostly unplugged folk-based rock is so well-crafted, melodic, and lyrically penetrating--there aren't five better rock lyricists in America right now than bandleader Mikel Jollett--that it never comes off as a slipped-in afterthought or an odds 'n' sods sop to fans. Played live, it also loosened the band up--viola/violinist Anna Bulbrook's typically pristine classical lines got funkier and more fiddle-like, and Steven Chen, usually content to provide expert rhythm guitar and record-sanctioned solo fills, stretched out in a little improvisation. Certainly Jollett felt liberated by the new stuff: the opener, "Poor Isaac," a fist-shaking address to The Almighty, unleashed an almost frightening anger in him, just as "Strangers" and "Why Why Why" revealed a tender acceptance of suffering that came this close to sublime.

The audience was appreciative if not ecstatic during the album's run-through, and it's a testament to Airborne's willingness to challenge themselves that afterwards they didn't just throw a bunch of familiar crowd-pleasers out there. Yeah, they shook the walls with some hits--"Hell and Back" and "Changing"--but it was never just party-time: they slipped in thoughtful meditations like "Bride and Groom" and the weighty "All I Ever Wanted" before ending with a majestic "Midnight." And the encores--four of them--included "The Graveyard Near the House" and "All At Once," possibly Jollett's greatest two songs, each of them about how love might serve as a desperate bulwark against looming fears of death.

Though the band made sure things stayed buoyant--it helps to have singalongs like "Missy" and "Gasoline" in your back catalog--and Jollett's crescent-moon of a smile was evidence that he was certainly having as good a time as everybody else, this was a serious night, highlighted by the special redemptive intensity with which Jollett sang (from "All At Once")
When it seems someone's lied and our parents have died
And we hold onto each other in their place.

The opening act was Irvine's The Brevet, who played a species of folky heartland rock --lots of rousing choruses, and subtle and intelligent singing from Aric Chase Damm--that set up and complemented the spirit of the night. And that spirit was an Airborne Toxic Event specialty: using the basic elements of rock 'n' roll to lift you high enough to face some inevitable hard truths. It was a great night. - Cornel Bonca

Every once in awhile you discover an artist that you can’t help but fall in love with. For me, The Brevet is one of those artists. Hailing from Orange County California, their sound is self declared as Epic Americana / Cinematic Rock. They draw comparisons to Mumford and Sons, Of Monsters and Men and also Kings of Leon, but make no mistake, they bring a sound all of their own. Their orchestral arrangements and plenty of sing a long melodies (and “Oh oh oh’s”) compliment their Cinematic/Americana Rock sound and drive home their underlying theme as a band. The Brevet’s debut album ‘Battle of the Heart’ gained them placements in many TV shows (American Idol, MLB Network, 90210) as well as movie trailers. Catch The Brevet at their Album Release show on Sunday November 16th at The House of Blues - The AR Radar

I will start with full disclosure: I love the indie Americana band The Brevet. Something about Aric Chase Damm’s voice captivates and soothes me, like Valium coated in dark, melted chocolate. Not that I go around popping chocolate-coated Valium, but that’s what the analogy part of my brain gave me to work with. His voice hits me in that sweet spot. In fact, the entire band finds that sweet spot in my spirit. I could just close my eyes and float on the notes all day long.

On August 5, The Brevet released an EP called EMBERS: Ch 2, which is, of course, perfection. - Soundwaves Reviews

Quickly gaining the attention of the media world, The Brevet has been busy with features on various popular television shows such as 90210 and American Idol. They have also been showcased in the L.A. Times, as well as OC Weekly, along with a few other publications. Made up of Aric Chase Damm (vocals, guitar), Michael Jones (vocals, piano), David Aguiar (drums), and Ben Ross (bass), the motivation for the band began when Damm and Jones were in middle school. As if to illustrate the importance of the arts in school, the two young men were first inspired by their school’s music program.So who are The Brevet and what do they sound like? Described as Americana, The Brevet has put in hard work and effort into each project they produce from each album to every live performance. Releasing their debut full-length album, Battle Of The Heart, in 2013, their Chapter 1 EP in 2014, The Brevet are set to return on August 5th with new EP, Embers. Through each piece of work the band creates, they gain a heightened reputation for raw passion and talent from their fans, and with their latest five track offering, the consensus should be no different.Starting things off, “Meet Me In The Night” comes in with drums reminiscent of a lazy beach day, followed quickly by slightly twangy guitars to create a bouncing style. Complemented by gentle vocals that flow into a slight growl to create passion, this track is a love song lyrically, while the instrumentals embed hope and wonder. Next comes the title track, “Embers,” picking up the pace with a quicker tempo, but no less deep. Continuing on the theme of love, the songwriting explores love without worry. Aptly named, this track is a perfect companion to new love around a bonfire. Continuing on, “Be Your Man” opens with a chorus of soft harmonic ohs’ before Southern style guitars kick in and provide the heavier notes for this track. While other pieces on the EP may feel like a new love playlist, this one has the soulful ingredients that makes up a sound of deeper burning commitment to another soul.Featuring a delicate piano playing the ghost of a lullaby is “There With You.” Soon diving into an energetic beat, the tempo levels back out for the verse as quiet melodic vocals act as an echo behind the main vocals, creating a haunting vibe. Concluding too soon, “Hold On” wraps up the EP with a soft acoustic guitar and strong vocals. Self-reflection is evident in the songwriting, but the lyrics are not limited only to the point of view from the singer as the song feels like an attempt to connect on the subject of life experiences and not being alone in them, despite what the circumstances may feel like.Hope and love are represented beautifully on Embers with instrumentals weaving the hopeful pieces and vocals passionately delivering love. The Brevet continues to offer the skills they are best known for with Embers, and fans will be delighted with the textures presented on this release. In addition, there is no level of disappointment that there are a limited number of tracks, although each one will leave listeners yearning more simply because the songs are that well constructed. CrypticRock gives Embers 5 out of 5 stars. - Cryptic Rock

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Our parents and grandparents may have some epic Nicholas Sparks driven “how we met stories” with cute gestures and tales of love at first site. Alas for us, our modern romance parallels an awkward Broad City hook up, a mismatched Girls fling, or a drunken drug-fueled one-night stand that would put Anne Hathaway’s character in Havoc to shame. In The Brevet’s latest “Embers,” they wax-nostalgic and pine for that old romance. Upbeat and optimistic guitars and compelling vocals create a mood that shakes the concept of modern monogamy at its core and reminds all hopeless romantics that old romance is alive and well, we just have to stoke the coals to spark the embers.

Today, the band shares the visuals for the song, directed by Sarah Wilson Thacker. The video is all shot in one take and follows the different life stages of a woman as told through contemporary dance via Ashley Wilkerson. The choreography perfectly amplifies the radiant and aspirational vibe of the song. Enjoy the video and check E M B E R S : Ch. 2 below! - Earmilk.com