The eagerly awaited album, Cactus Moon, marks the comeback of American singer-songwriter Laura Brino. Her creative energy is presently being directed into compositions that are even more sensitive, honest, and vulnerable. Her music has been regarded as having outstanding pop sensibility with catchy refrains that express tales in an authentic and contemplative way.

Since she was in her teens in the late ‘90s, her songs have been included in a number of TV series and motion pictures. In addition to her four solo albums, she has released one as Lily and the Pearl, a side project with her husband Sean “Dracula” Jackson. 

Cactus Moon, showcases Laura Brino’s folky, singer-songwriter soundscape over the 13 tracks. She tells the story of becoming older. The story of becoming a mother. The story of a body giving life. The story of a body finding death. It is the story of breaking generational trauma and healing wounds that are universally ours.

The album’s focus track ‘Tether’ is a positive hit on which Laura Brino skillfully blends her indie-pop and folk-pop sounds with compelling narration. She composed the song on an acoustic guitar at first, then used synths and headphones to record a demo on her iPhone’s GarageBand app. When she and producer Ahren Buchheister got into the studio, she recorded her voice and retained the original sounds. After Ricky Wise helped with the drums, they submitted the track to producer Troy Everett, who added rhythms, strings, guitar, piano, and vocals.

On the track, Laura Brino comments, “Tether symbolizes the push and pull of navigating a relationship with someone who is forever tied to. This song pays homage to the early relationship with my now husband, as we worked through life obstacles, while always knowing we’d be connected no matter where. Having struggled with anxiety and PTSD, I have had a history of running from things, and the idea that someone else can ground you.”

Cactus Moon, explores generational trauma while taking the listener on a journey through 13 indie pop infused tunes-ranging from deeply introspective to catchy and fun songs. The pop, rock, and folk elements are blended with poignant lyrics and catchy refrains in her music. Her songs are known for having excellent pop sensibility and memorable refrains that genuinely and attentively communicate tales.

Being a mother and a full-time artist made it more difficult for Laura Brino to write when sitting down at the keyboard or guitar throughout the day. Her life transformed when she discovered that she could use her little headphones to make music on Garageband while lying in bed next to her sleeping children. Every night, she was creating and recording songs. That nightly routine gave rise to the majority of these tunes. From her children’s bed, she would record tunes that were almost finished. While the album was being properly recorded, she kept writing new songs. Six of the tracks on the final album were composed midway through the recording session. Eventually, her producer had to advise her to wait and save the new tracks for the next album. She was able to control her anxiousness and focus her energies on something constructive because of this alone. The album portrays this tenacity and shows how entirely digital the composition process is. That essentially shaped the album’s tone, which is far more pop-oriented than her previous Americana record.

The topic of processing and recovering from trauma comes up; the subjects gradually shifted from dating and relationship problems, as well as love songs and breakup songs, as she approached her 40s to more sombre themes centred on the human condition. Stemming from her personal experiences and the experiences of those around her over the last few years, this album covers abuse within relationships (Butterfly), anxiety (Five Alarm Fires), coming out (Live out Loud), generational trauma (Cactus Moon, Songbird), miscarriage (Drugstore Purchase), aging (Foreign Bodies), suicide (Haunt Me), birth trauma (Floating) with some love songs sprinkled in between.

The name ‘Cactus Moon’ honours the symbolic relationship between cactus and the moon. Laura Brino had years of PTSD after her near-death experience with the birth of her second daughter. She visited a Shaman back in 2022 to get some healing related to her trauma. As she laid there on the table, she was dubious but yet rather anxious to get some peace from her fears. They led her through a guided meditation to her healing place as they worked their reiki magic on her body. She felt their hands grip her uterus outside of her body as she travelled through it. The very organ that she nearly died of. It was restorative. As she laid there with tears flowing down her cheeks, the only thing that could have been on her mind was a room full of cactus. After looking it up, she discovered that a cactus represents tenacity and maternal love. After exploring her recovery and the healing of the women who came before her, she believes that the ‘Cactus Moon’ serves as a reminder that there is always room for growth and healing.

On the album, Laura Brino comments, “This album captures my own personal journey over the last five years; beginning as inspired and thought-provoking, then taking a deep dive into some heavy subjects and experiences. It ends feeling very empowered. It’s wild to be able to see how spot on my own emotional rollercoaster is portrayed in this album.”