Unfinished Bridges

Unfinished Bridges Length: 3:33 ISRC: QZHYE2458905
Songwriters: Mark “Brink” Brinkman (BMI) & Eric Gnezda (ASCAP)
Publisher: Mark Brinkman Songs (BMI) G-Ball Music (ASCAP)
Artists:
Alex MacLeod: Guitar, Lead vocals
Joe Deetz: Banjo
Billy Thibodeau: Mandolin, tenor
Rick Brodsky: Bass
Austin Scelzo: Fiddle, baritone

Billy Thibodeau became friendly with Mark “Brink” Brinkman through his involvement with IBMA Leadership. Everyone in the band was familiar with Brink’s extraordinary catalog of songs. He’s a six-time IBMA Songwriter of the Year nominee.

Through conversation, Brink learned that RH was recording and offered a couple song ideas. The tragedy that unfolds in Unfinished Bridges is a familiar theme to country and bluegrass music.. Love that has fizzled, leaving its stakeholders in the uncharted territory of coming to grips with the fact that the iron bridge that connects the two may not be built to last.

Brink and Gnezda’s original delivery was an elemental version, leaving a lot of room for artistic interpretation and license. Rock Hearts was challenged with delivering the song as it was written, but at the same time, rendering it true to the Rock Hearts “style.” The story tells itself nicely with plenty of metaphors and imagery, but the band felt it could use some “pep.”

When the listener hears the first three fiddle strokes, they’re led to believe it’s going to be a mid-tempo song. But then the band rips into a double-time, while the lyrics are still rendered at a slower pace. The arrangement works beautifully, complimenting the imagery and story line.
Rock Hearts were honored to have recorded a Mark “Brink” Brinkman & Eric Gnezda song and be included in the long and humbling list of successful bands who have covered their music. Feedback from Brink is, “We love the cut and hope it will be a big hit for y’all!!” That’s high praise from such a revered songwriter.

Thanks Brink!