On his Four album, Kappen shifts gears with “Be Brave If You Can,” trading the urgency of his protest driven anthems for something quieter and deeply personal. Where earlier songs thundered with resistance, this track turns inward, asking what it means to hold steady when the world feels overwhelming. The result is a piece that feels less like a rallying cry and more like a hand extended in reassurance.
The music itself mirrors this intimacy. A gentle arrangement carries the lyrics with patience, each chord stretched just long enough to allow the words to settle. The simplicity is intentional, stripping away excess so that what remains is raw and genuine. Listeners can sense Kappen’s background as a music therapist woven through the composition. Every phrase seems calibrated to comfort, offering the kind of presence you might find in a quiet conversation when someone truly listens to you.
Influences from iconic artists ripple subtly beneath the surface. The melodic ease and unguarded sincerity, and the introspective depth of Radiohead appear like distant echoes, yet never overshadow Kappen’s own voice. They function more like guiding stars than borrowed identities, pointing the song toward timelessness.
The lyric video underscores this ethos. Uncluttered and direct, it frames Kappen alone with his words. No theatrics, no unnecessary layers, just a reminder that courage does not always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it whispers. In a culture often obsessed with spectacle, this restraint feels radical. “Be Brave If You Can” ultimately extends a gentle truth: resilience is not always about grand gestures. Sometimes, bravery is simply choosing to keep moving through life’s tempests. With its tender delivery and honest core, the track lingers like a promise that quiet strength is strength enough.
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