BØRNS might very well be the illegitimate lovechild of The Beach Boys, Beach House, Tame Impala, and Passion Pit, but comparing the musical prowess of Garrett Borns to anyone else would be a complete disservice to the musician; he brings an entirely new set of rules to the alternative/indie/pop scene. The 24 year old, who signed to Interscope/Universal in 2014, has already had quite an illustrious career over the past year and a half--debuting his hit singles "10,000 Emerald Pools" late in 2014 and "Electric Love" in 2015, both to critical acclaim and both ranking well on national and international music charts. On Wednesday night BØRNS sold-out New York City's Terminal 5, a notorious hotspot for up-and-comers with an already substantial following.
What makes this musician and his repertoire so appealing is the seductive charm they carry as an ensemble (it's almost a flirtatious quality that keeps his audience coming back for more). At times, BØRNS teases with our emotions lyrically and captures us physically in streams of upbeat melodies--creating an experience that, as his album title Dopamine (Interscope, 2015) suggests, overloads our brain with a sense of euphoria. BØRNS has already proved, in his short career, that's he's not a one-hit wonder but a staying force that will only continue to build momentum as he reaches new audiences (at home and abroad).
His performance Wednesday night hits on all these points; BØRNS moved the audience in troves through what could only be described as magic (it should be noted that Garrett was once a master of the art at the tender age of 10, performing at parties under the name "Garrett the Great"). While he wasn't pulling rabbits out of hats this particular evening, he was pulling at the audience's heart strings. BØRNS moves around like stage inviting the audience to sing along, throwing coy smiles around the room, and making even the biggest of venues feel like an intimate performance--and maybe this is where the real magic lies. BØRNS is an incredibly passionate and humble live act; in fact, it's one that should not to be missed in 2016.
Be sure to check out BØRNS at bornsmusic.com and on iTunes. His remaining North America tour dates are:
05/27 Philadelphia, Pa. - Electric Factory
5/28 Boston, Mass. - Boston Calling Festival @ City Hall Plaza
5/30 George, Wash. - Sasquatch Music Festival
6/6 Dallas, Texas - Granada Theater
6/7 Austin, Texas - Scoot Inn
6/9 Manchester, Tenn. - Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
6/10 St. Louis, Mo. - Ready Room
6/17 New York, N.Y. - Forest Hills Stadium (supporting Mumford & Sons)
7/22 Chicago, Ill. - Metro
7/26 Milwaukee, Wis. - Turner Hall Ballroom
7/27 Minneapolis, Minn. - First Avenue
7/28 Kansas City, Mo. - Madrid
7/29 Indianapolis, Ind. - MOKB Summer Series @ Garfield Park