This Big Broken World

Background & Production

This Big Broken World was conceived and written by Brian Kittrell, continuing his dual-persona storytelling project that began with This Long Broken Road. While the first record was rooted in deeply personal struggle, this follow-up expands the focus outward, taking aim at cultural rifts, political divides, and the weight of modern society. The songs are performed by Dawson McCoy, with a counterpart release by Sadie McCoy envisioned to bring a contrasting perspective. Many of the ideas for these tracks had been simmering for years, drawn from observations of unrest, disillusionment, and resilience across the American landscape. Whereas the first album was shaped by decades of fragments that found their way into one man's story, This Big Broken World pulls from the same well but pours it into a larger vessel, framing individual struggles as reflections of a society at a breaking point. The production once again leans into a dark country and Americana palette, but the arrangements are grittier and more urgent. 12-string acoustic guitars and heartbeat percussion remain central, joined by stripped snare cadences, raw bass undercurrents, and moments of full-band fury that underline the anger and defiance in the lyrics. The sonic space deliberately resists polish, trading perfection for immediacy and tension. Vocals were captured with the same ethos as the songs themselves: honest, sharp, and unvarnished. The delivery ranges from weary lament to explosive outrage, matching the thematic breadth of protests, broken promises, and calls for redemption. The result is a soundscape that feels less like a studio product and more like a dispatch from the streets — unfiltered, cinematic, and urgent.