The
Break Evens
(myspace.com/thebreakevens)
The Break Evens rock hard! Production is
lean, mean, and minimal, which helps to make
the songs more durable and likable. What also
stands out are the lyrics- beautifully realized
stories put to record. With an epically keen
eye to detail, and a wide ranging catalogue
of musical influences, The Break Evens’
adds plenty of color with songs like “I
Think I’d Die,” “Ready to
Run,” or “Analog Girl.”
Detailed characters and substantial scenarios
in about three minutes time.
Formed in the wake of Mazeffect, The Break
Evens are, Jay Mazeffect (formerly on guitar
in Mazeffect)on drums, and vocals, Mel (former
bassist for Mazeeffect) on lead guitar, and
Mark Parker on bass and vocals. They released
this 8 song EP while they’re in the
process of putting together their new album.
Besides the seven originals they include a
sharp rendition of the Ramones’ “Babysitting”
that works well with he rest of the EP. The
Break Evens’ music is spot-on when it
comes to melodic punk. They show more imagination
and inspiration, with an awareness of changing
times, and the music comes in time-warped
from the 70’s.
Hopefully The Break Evens will be road testing
these and the rest of their new album. They’ve
been playing at Buddies In Sayreville, which
is great place to see them and a lot of other
cool, original bands.- Phil Rainone
Bottle
Up & Go - These Bones (myspace.com/bottleupandgoband)
Neanderthalic, Barbaric, and down-right
unrestrained rock ‘n’ roll flows
through every groove on “These Bones!”
That’s what I should have finished
this review with, but I wanted to get that
straight right from the get-go! This record
simmers with unrepressed emotional venom.
They challenge the mainstream with hot, nasty
slide guitar work, a bashing rhythm section
that revolvers around focused but aggressive
vocals, and the whole thing is played with
ceaseless garage rock riffs. This is the stuff
your mother warned you about! It’s manic
music that came from the Cramps bore-a-hole-in-your-skull
school of rock. Songs like “Wayward
Son,” “Low,” or “These
Bones” are never bombastic, and the
lyrics come across with clarity. A good balance
that you don’t often find. The latter
song is the center piece of the album. They
combine a story of lust v. love with a seering
sax/guitar combo raging against the lyrics.
Bottle Up & Go has the knack to make things
more enthralling in previously unexplored
ways! - Phil Rainone
Matt
Madly - Checkered
(myspace.com/mattmadly1)
Matt Madly’s (aka Matt Azzarto), impressive
press kit reads like a who’s who for
visionary indie bands. He formed The Fundamentals
in the 80’s and The Gefkens in the 90’s
to name a few. And if that wasn’t impressive
enough for you, "Matt’s songs have
appeared in movie scenes where John Cusack
was taking a piss and a woman was naked pole
dancing,” according to his press kit.
Not too shabby!
Post-rock and neo-folk open side one with
six originals. He’s managed the delicate
balance of including the styles of his old
bands, adding new elements, propelling these
songs further along as mini-epics. “C
Straight,” “Change,” and
“Thick of It,” all contain an
abundance of exquisite guitar licks, passion,
and a few surprises. His studio band includes
Dennis Dikens on drums, Chris Gefen on bass,
Don Flemming (who was a co-producer), on guitar,
and Jesse Marlin, BV’s, among other
notable, high-end artists.
Side two contains some very clever covers.
Nick Lowe’s “So it Goes,”
The Jams’ “That’s Entertainment,”
Gram Parker’s “Local Girls,”
and a psychedelically ragged cover of the
Monkees’ “Steppin’ Stone”
makes this 12 song disc a brilliant balancing
act between pop aspirations and music-geek
adorations. He gives a solid, almost note-for-note
rendition of each cover tune, but Matt also
adds a snazzy twist or turn where you wouldn’t
expect it. Old-school punk rock thrills leap
out on the cover of Iggy Pop’s “The
Pass anger, “ and Matt’s cover
of Wlico’s “Pick up the Change”
adds color to an already bright, illuminating
pop gem.
This 12 song disc is an intriguing, multifaceted
experience! - Phil Rainone
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