Atlanta-born, Nashville-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Old Sea Brigade (Ben Cramer) has shared “How It Works,” the first track from his forthcoming album and follow up to his acclaimed EP collaboration with fellow artist and friend Luke Sital-Singh, All The Ways You Sing In The Dark. The meditative, indie rock track was inspired by a snarky industry encounter and is about observing and accepting change around you.
With a low and soothing voice, Cramer rests on a refined ’70s light FM radio bed of tender melodies and grounded instrumentation. The refective “How It Works” is dedicated to the self-critical mindstate, drawing clarity out of self struggle, buying into “the hype” – or more often the bullshit – that surrounds the music industry. Check out the music video for “How It Works,” a soothing and potent new single from this versatile must-hear singer-songwriter.
“I think in the music industry, there’s sometimes this false narrative that there are certain ‘gatekeepers’ that dictate artists career,” says Cramer. “It can be a fairly toxic notion, especially when you’re trying to get your foot in the door as a young artist. I got an email once from some music industry person telling me, ‘that’s how it works.’ That email, particularly the line, sparked the idea for the song. I wrote the song with my close friend and frequent collaborator, Henry Brill. It was one of the last songs I wrote for the record and in some ways felt like the missing piece.”