Breathe
Following on with our theme of Cornish bands, local boys Breathe were good enough to get a copy of their album across to me to have a listen to. The three piece band have put together an album of 11 tracks so I thought it only right to crank it on and have a listen to see what’s on offer!
Opening with Set Me Free you’re immediately thrown into a mash up of riffing guitars, pounding drums and a solid bass line before kicking in with some soaring vocals. Almost funky from the outset, the guitars steal the show here, powering the track onwards and keeping you listening to see what they’re going to do next. Before long I found myself chanting along to ‘everytime I try to close my eyes’ and nodding along to the beat, there’s a real southern rock feel to the music here yet it’s somehow lifted beyond that simple tag, there’s far more to it. Clearly accomplished musicians, little lead snippets are thrown into the mix (as well as a solo which will make any guitarist jealous) to make sure you’re still on board – the result is a track which I can clearly imagine being performed on a massive scale – this is pure festival music.
Falling follows on, opening with stormy sound effects before bringing in those sludgy guitar lines once again. Setting the tone dark through the effects at first, this track once again picks up the pace and assumes a funky approach, powering the track with a simple but effective drum beat whilst all the time keeping the guitars roving around to make them interesting. Once again catchy, this track has all of the hallmarks you’d expect from a far more accomplished band, it’s hard to believe that they’re not more well known. As the track fades and Ask The Dust kicks in, you’re once again kicked in the teeth with a rolling drum beat and more of those epic riffs, all mashing together to form a monster of epic proportions. There’s something about this track which is somehow disjointed yet it all works really well – particularly the rolling broken down sections which on the live scene are sure to have people moving along with them – something I’ve got to get out there and see for myself.
All Is Lost comes in at number 4 on the album and slows things down at first, luring you into believing that everything is going to soften up – but not for long. Kicking in to a melodic mixture of hammering drums and symphonic guitars all backed by that solid bass line, this is a track which you need to make sure you play loud. Melodic and emotional from the outset, the lead line which plays over the music really raises this track to a new level, this is almost mainstream music yet it somehow retains its sense of realism – it’s not mass produced but you can imagine this playing on the radio and being incredibly popular. The ending of this track in particular is testament to these guys abilities, speeding up and throwing in a solo for good measure, this track leaves you sitting back just thinking – ‘wow, that was cool’. By contrast, There Is Now harks back to the earlier tracks from the album, once again opening raw and edgy and not relenting until the second the track comes to a close. Driving the track with the guitar lines, the drums, bass and vocals back everything up here to create a sound which harmonic yet absolutely massive at the same time. I’d probably say this track is my personal favourite from the album, the guitar work is absolutely stunning throughout and the different layers of vocals add in an extra depth which really makes the track, I’ll be coming back to this time and time again.
Moving into Before The End, the bass takes the lead in the opening here, something which is so rarely done but is always so good to hear – people tend to forget the bass in music until it’s not there so it’s good to see it being brought out. Kicking once more into pinch harmonic laden riffs and pounding drums, this track celebrates all of the instruments in the band whilst make sure that the listener is kept engaged with the riffs. Another track which is sure to have people moving on the live scene – make sure you give this one a listen! Awake is another contrast on the album, opening with some flange tinged guitar lines to sooth the soul, the vocals come in much softer than so far creating a chilled out and laid back feeling to this track. It’s tracks like this which really make the album as a whole for me, the contrasts they create mean you’re always listening to see what’s going to come next, what’s going to change and how the band are going to form their next track. The track sticks to the softer chilled out approach throughout, building more at the end (and throwing in another guitar solo once again just to make sure the guitarists are kept jealous) but always retaining that soft melodic sound, awesome to hear.
For Your Life returns the band to the funkier side of things, throwing in some more sludgy distorted riffs and pounding onwards with the drums, this is another track which will automatically make you hit the volume up button on the stereo. Funky, raw, powerful and charged throughout, this track is the sort of track which you dream of seeing live, it’s got the jumpy edge to make you jump along with it whilst still being able to sing along with the band. As Nightmare Cinema comes into being you’re left with no question that what you’re hearing is a band who are destined to be going places, the riff once again takes centre stage, backed up by solid bass and pounding drums before bringing in the vocals over the top once again – there’s so much going on in the track that you’re not quite sure where to listen first.
Final tracks Hold Me and Into The Sun finish the album in the manner in which it began, Hold Me taking the softer approach once again but making sure you’re still there by building up throughout into more of those epic lead lines, honestly believe me when I say the guitarist in me is crying right now, these guys can play! Into The Sun by contrast is melodic and catchy, closing the album in style and leaving you wanting much much more. Since I got this album I’ve listened to this track over and over again, trying to work out how to describe it, and the best I can do is say get out there and listen to it, you won’t regret it.
I’ve known of Breathe for a fair while now but I’ve never really listened to their stuff other than in passing. What this album has shown me is something more than just a band who can play their instruments and craft tracks which can evoke an emotional change in some way. This band is almost certainly going places, their style of music is exactly what’s needed right now, music which demonstrates how instruments sound when they’re played well, songs which lift you and make you want more and generally make you sit back and realise what’s important. I know it’s cheesy to refer to Bill and Ted, but this could well be a Bill and Ted moment in modern music - and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
To find out more about Breathe, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Opening with Set Me Free you’re immediately thrown into a mash up of riffing guitars, pounding drums and a solid bass line before kicking in with some soaring vocals. Almost funky from the outset, the guitars steal the show here, powering the track onwards and keeping you listening to see what they’re going to do next. Before long I found myself chanting along to ‘everytime I try to close my eyes’ and nodding along to the beat, there’s a real southern rock feel to the music here yet it’s somehow lifted beyond that simple tag, there’s far more to it. Clearly accomplished musicians, little lead snippets are thrown into the mix (as well as a solo which will make any guitarist jealous) to make sure you’re still on board – the result is a track which I can clearly imagine being performed on a massive scale – this is pure festival music.
Falling follows on, opening with stormy sound effects before bringing in those sludgy guitar lines once again. Setting the tone dark through the effects at first, this track once again picks up the pace and assumes a funky approach, powering the track with a simple but effective drum beat whilst all the time keeping the guitars roving around to make them interesting. Once again catchy, this track has all of the hallmarks you’d expect from a far more accomplished band, it’s hard to believe that they’re not more well known. As the track fades and Ask The Dust kicks in, you’re once again kicked in the teeth with a rolling drum beat and more of those epic riffs, all mashing together to form a monster of epic proportions. There’s something about this track which is somehow disjointed yet it all works really well – particularly the rolling broken down sections which on the live scene are sure to have people moving along with them – something I’ve got to get out there and see for myself.
All Is Lost comes in at number 4 on the album and slows things down at first, luring you into believing that everything is going to soften up – but not for long. Kicking in to a melodic mixture of hammering drums and symphonic guitars all backed by that solid bass line, this is a track which you need to make sure you play loud. Melodic and emotional from the outset, the lead line which plays over the music really raises this track to a new level, this is almost mainstream music yet it somehow retains its sense of realism – it’s not mass produced but you can imagine this playing on the radio and being incredibly popular. The ending of this track in particular is testament to these guys abilities, speeding up and throwing in a solo for good measure, this track leaves you sitting back just thinking – ‘wow, that was cool’. By contrast, There Is Now harks back to the earlier tracks from the album, once again opening raw and edgy and not relenting until the second the track comes to a close. Driving the track with the guitar lines, the drums, bass and vocals back everything up here to create a sound which harmonic yet absolutely massive at the same time. I’d probably say this track is my personal favourite from the album, the guitar work is absolutely stunning throughout and the different layers of vocals add in an extra depth which really makes the track, I’ll be coming back to this time and time again.
Moving into Before The End, the bass takes the lead in the opening here, something which is so rarely done but is always so good to hear – people tend to forget the bass in music until it’s not there so it’s good to see it being brought out. Kicking once more into pinch harmonic laden riffs and pounding drums, this track celebrates all of the instruments in the band whilst make sure that the listener is kept engaged with the riffs. Another track which is sure to have people moving on the live scene – make sure you give this one a listen! Awake is another contrast on the album, opening with some flange tinged guitar lines to sooth the soul, the vocals come in much softer than so far creating a chilled out and laid back feeling to this track. It’s tracks like this which really make the album as a whole for me, the contrasts they create mean you’re always listening to see what’s going to come next, what’s going to change and how the band are going to form their next track. The track sticks to the softer chilled out approach throughout, building more at the end (and throwing in another guitar solo once again just to make sure the guitarists are kept jealous) but always retaining that soft melodic sound, awesome to hear.
For Your Life returns the band to the funkier side of things, throwing in some more sludgy distorted riffs and pounding onwards with the drums, this is another track which will automatically make you hit the volume up button on the stereo. Funky, raw, powerful and charged throughout, this track is the sort of track which you dream of seeing live, it’s got the jumpy edge to make you jump along with it whilst still being able to sing along with the band. As Nightmare Cinema comes into being you’re left with no question that what you’re hearing is a band who are destined to be going places, the riff once again takes centre stage, backed up by solid bass and pounding drums before bringing in the vocals over the top once again – there’s so much going on in the track that you’re not quite sure where to listen first.
Final tracks Hold Me and Into The Sun finish the album in the manner in which it began, Hold Me taking the softer approach once again but making sure you’re still there by building up throughout into more of those epic lead lines, honestly believe me when I say the guitarist in me is crying right now, these guys can play! Into The Sun by contrast is melodic and catchy, closing the album in style and leaving you wanting much much more. Since I got this album I’ve listened to this track over and over again, trying to work out how to describe it, and the best I can do is say get out there and listen to it, you won’t regret it.
I’ve known of Breathe for a fair while now but I’ve never really listened to their stuff other than in passing. What this album has shown me is something more than just a band who can play their instruments and craft tracks which can evoke an emotional change in some way. This band is almost certainly going places, their style of music is exactly what’s needed right now, music which demonstrates how instruments sound when they’re played well, songs which lift you and make you want more and generally make you sit back and realise what’s important. I know it’s cheesy to refer to Bill and Ted, but this could well be a Bill and Ted moment in modern music - and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
To find out more about Breathe, check out their Facebook page HERE.