Besides Daniel embraces suburban life

After biking across the West during a 2013 musical hiatus, Danny Brewer settled down and started a family much closer to home. By 2015, he landed in Tate, Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta. The Blue Ridge Mountain home he shares with his wife and child offers a permanent songwriting retreat for his folk alter-ego, Besides Daniel.Brewer admits that living away from Atlanta’s singer-songwriter scene has its drawbacks, even if he embraces the lack of outside distractions. “When we lived in the city, it was really inspiring to have the community of artists that were always challenging you or inspiring you,” he says. “When you’re in a rural setting, sometimes that’s a little bit more difficult to come by, and the relationships can be a lot sparser. It’s sort of a double-edged sword. When I write, it’s easier to find that contemplative space — to find that sweet spot and the space and time to invest in it. It’s harder in the city because there’s so much going on, and you don’t want to miss out on anything.”

This desirable headspace allowed for the inner-personal, melodically-rich songwriting on new album TEEMING. Living away from his creative support system necessitated songs that can be played solo, resulting in the stripped-down, sonically spacious feel of the relationship-driven “Live Alone,” and the only song that alludes to his cured case of rambling fever, “Long Bit.”