James Bruner lets love get dangerous on debut album ‘Can’t Keep Wanting You’

James Bruner’s debut album ‘Can’t Keep Wanting You’ feels like the moment all of his recent momentum finally catches fire.

After years spent touring across the UK, Europe and the US, the Illinois-born, Nashville-based artist brings that live-wire energy into a twelve-track record about love in all its more volatile forms: lust, obsession, self-belief, dependence, defiance and the fear of losing something important.

The title-track gets straight to the contradiction at the heart of the record. ‘Can’t Keep Wanting You’ is about craving something that feels irresistible in the moment while knowing it is ultimately corrosive. He uses lust as the clearest expression of that toxicity, capturing the rush, gratification and eventual cost of chasing something you know is bad for you.

‘Hypnotized’ channels self-doubt into something much more combative, leaning towards punk with screaming vocals and a deliberate sense of aggression. While ‘Shine’ goes in the opposite direction, introducing falsetto and a more cinematic sweep as he tackles the pain of being passed over. Then ‘Don’t Wanna Be Late’ pushes into grungier territory, turning determination into a stubborn, noisy hook.

‘SMS’ becomes a disguised plea for help, with its title doubling as both text-message shorthand and “save my soul”, while ‘It’s Too Late’ revisits an old infatuation that never found the right timing. Whereas ‘Wish I Could Stay’ is more self-protective, recognising when attention is being mistaken for love and choosing movement over obsession.

Even the later songs continue widening the album’s perspective. ‘Only You’ celebrates the person who provides stability when everything else feels chaotic, while ‘Getaway’ addresses the hollow comedown of post-tour depression.

The closing ‘Take It Or Leave It’ brings everything together beautifully. Instead of ending in lust or anxiety, he lands on gratitude; and the understanding that even if everything disappeared tomorrow, the act of trying, creating and chasing the dream would still have mattered.

Produced by Shane Weisman, ‘Can’t Keep Wanting You’ is big-hearted, restless rock ’n’ roll with genuine emotional range. James Bruner arrives at his debut album sounding hungry, vulnerable and increasingly certain of his own voice.

Stream ‘Can’t Keep Wanting You’ HERE.