Moxie Epoxy - The Breakfast
Jeremy Sanchez
2006-10-24
Horizon Music Group
The Breakfast’s fifth album is essentially a farewell to the old. Also their second album with Horizon Music Group, this is likely the band’s final recording with keyboardist Jordan Giangreco, whose recent departure leaves the band as a three piece. Still, Giangreco\'s keys are all over Moxie Epoxy and at least the farewell isn’t a sour-sounding one. Actually, Moxie Epoxy is an album that should act to draw some talented keyboardists to any tryouts that might be in the works. If I could play, I’d be there in a second!
The tracks are band efforts, featuring the pen work of all four members, guitarist/vocalist Tim Palmieri’s words filling the bulk of the disc. “Psygn” ends near an impressive, and generous, 11 minutes, both allowing the band to explore the song’s base and give a taste of what the live version might sound like. At five-and-a-half minutes in, Giangreco’s keys start to shutter, words fall away and the jam is on, much in a Phish style at times, even borrowing on some of guitarist Trey Anastasio’s trademarked siren sounds. Though Giangreco’s contribution adds a lot to the effect of these songs, it’s easy to tell that Palmieri, bassist/vocalist Ron Spears and drummer Adrian Tramontano, still have plenty to say if they remain a trio.
For lack of anything to complain about, this is an album accessible to rock snobs (“Surreal Radio” has Queens of the Stone Age similarities and “Intension” has its Jane’s Addiction moments), jam-rock sticklers (all songs lend themselves to and perspire scene-familiar sounds) and blues-rock faithful (“Tricky Ways”), leaving a rather broad swath. Even when the energy falls, it does so tastefully -- the Beatlesque “Good Things,” for example, with its understated piano and guitar lines while Palmieri sings himself into realizing that “good things need a little rest."
Seeing Giangreco step away, it seems the split is a friendly one and the time they shared wasn’t for naught. They share memories, songs, music, fans and the knowledge that the only thing stopping them from playing together again (or not) is a simple decision. Here, at least, is a final statement from the four, one to buy, and a door swinging open for the remaining three to test the waters anew. Here’s to not stopping…
