Justin Sinclair is a songwriter and music producer based in LA who’s making a name for himself as one of the most exciting voices in the local indie scene. His solo project, Brother James, explores the intricacies and depth of love through poignant lyrics and delicate finger-style guitar. His newest EP, Love, is an evocative soundtrack for lovers and aching hearts.
“Just a Little Longer” is the EP’s final track, and it’s a wonderful demonstration of Sinclair’s gift for articulate wordplay:
“It’s strange this circumstance we’re caught in
Where one and one cannot make two
Where conversation causes tension
And honest doesn’t equal true”
That’s immediately before the first chorus, and from there, Sinclair leaps into an achingly smooth falsetto, ultimately asking for “just a little longer”.
Yes, this is a break-up song.
But it’s not sung with hopeless, head-against-the-door distress. It’s acutely self-aware, and maybe even a little hopeful.
From a production perspective, “Just a Little Longer” is close to perfection. The guitar gently accompanies Sinclair’s voice throughout the song, pushing the music forward with a hypnotic melody that helps to unpack the back-and-forth nature of the relationship.
The song then opens up with classical instruments that add further texture to it, taking the song to a new level and conveying the emotional depth of the doomed relationship.
Unsurprisingly, Sinclair has worked with various artists as a string arranger and producer, collaborating with The Brilliance, Mark Barlow, Weezer, and Scary Pockets, among others. All that experience is reflected in Love; it never feels overdone, but it never feels lacking, either.
That’s another way of saying that, compositionally, it’s brilliant.
Ultimately, the beauty of “Just a Little Longer” lies in its simplicity. This is a delicate piece that explores the aches and passions of love, with an honest eye toward endings and emotion that culminates in the inevitable breakup. The song’s gentle crescendo is another demonstration of Sinclair’s skills as a music producer; it builds gradually and even as it falls apart, it leaves the listener with a sense of hope that only the best break-up ballads can express.
“Just a Little Longer” is a carefully-crafted, sad-love song for the aching hearts, and a fitting (if sad) conclusion to the Love EP. You can find Justin Sinclair / Brother James on Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify.
