By nature, I really appreciate bands like The Breakfast, which includes young, ambitious, self-taught musicians who write their own music and are guided by a challenging array of influences - all essential things missing from today\'s shiny pop industry. And while they get close once in a while on their fourth album Real Radio, it’s just missing. The overarching problem is immaturity, and I don\'t mean an age or attitude-related immaturity. It almost feels like Real Radio is an attempt to pay homage to every influence they want to play like, which is a double-edged sword. You get some honest and challenging music, maybe even revisit a few lost riffs on your dusty vinyl, but what you miss is that original voice - that "thing" that separates a band\'s sound from the sounds a band plays. There\'s a distinct difference in that, and the Breakfast are missing it. That said, they sound more than capable of reining that sound in enough to help create that sound. But first they have to put away all their records and listen to the sounds in their collective head. They have to stop playing it safe. One of the only things I know about the former Psychedelic Breakfast is that they can jam, and there’s only a little of that here. Like on “Gravity,” where they take their time and eventually score when Tim Palmieri’s deft guitar weaves in and out of Jordan Giengreco’s keyboard. When the others join in (Adrian Tramontano, drums and Ron Spears, bass) it’s a tightly shredded bliss. But then it barely moves. It has very little in the way of a rock foundation, and the notes that emanate from Radio plainly spell out that they do want to rock. They’re just not doing it enough. “Sleeping Beauty” does rock, but it isn’t enough. The very last thing I want to do is to get on a band with promise, and the Breakfast have plenty of that. I just hope they can step outside their influences and get back to jamming. Because from the sounds of things, the Breakfast have reeled in their big jam sound for a Radio-friendly pop sound, which is a bad idea. Scott CaffreyJamBase | New JerseyGo See Live Music! [Published on 7/29/2005]
When we did Bona Fide..which jammed like crazy....they all bitched about the vocals and the lyrics.When we gave then better songs and vocals...they bitched about the jamming. Reviewers are ridiculous. Honestly...there are tons of great live Breakfast recordings around. If someone wants to hear the band live, well....they can hear those.Some people get it, some don\'t.
Is someone implying I need to buy a SUIT.........Geez.
By nature, I really appreciate bands like The Breakfast, which includes young, ambitious, self-taught musicians who write their own music and are guided by a challenging array of influences - all essential things missing from today\'s shiny pop industry. And while they get close once in a while on their fourth album Real Radio, it’s just missing.The overarching problem is immaturity, and I don\'t mean an age or attitude-related immaturity. It almost feels like Real Radio is an attempt to pay homage to every influence they want to play like, which is a double-edged sword. You get some honest and challenging music, maybe even revisit a few lost riffs on your dusty vinyl, but what you miss is that original voice - that "thing" that separates a band\'s sound from the sounds a band plays. There\'s a distinct difference in that, and the Breakfast are missing it.That said, they sound more than capable of reining that sound in enough to help create that sound. But first they have to put away all their records and listen to the sounds in their collective head. They have to stop playing it safe.One of the only things I know about the former Psychedelic Breakfast is that they can jam, and there’s only a little of that here. Like on “Gravity,” where they take their time and eventually score when Tim Palmieri’s deft guitar weaves in and out of Jordan Giengreco’s keyboard. When the others join in (Adrian Tramontano, drums and Ron Spears, bass) it’s a tightly shredded bliss. But then it barely moves. It has very little in the way of a rock foundation, and the notes that emanate from Radio plainly spell out that they do want to rock. They’re just not doing it enough. “Sleeping Beauty” does rock, but it isn’t enough.The very last thing I want to do is to get on a band with promise, and the Breakfast have plenty of that. I just hope they can step outside their influences and get back to jamming. Because from the sounds of things, the Breakfast have reeled in their big jam sound for a Radio-friendly pop sound, which is a bad idea.Scott CaffreyJamBase | New JerseyGo See Live Music![Published on 7/29/2005]
tie_dyed :: 9/21/2005 6:18:20 PM ::I give a one star rating to this review because there is no zero rating. I feel the critic doesn\'t really have any idea what he\'s writing about.Maybe there are a few similarities between The Breakfast and the many bands that influence them but that\'s what influences are for. While I agree if you listen to this band you could hear pieces of The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Phish, Cream, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic, The Grateful Dead, and I\'m sure I\'m missing more; they do not just regurgitate these bands\' notes. They use their influences to create something amazing while paying homage to the late and the great.A band doesn\'t have to have a "sound" that defines them, when a band has their own "sound" that\'s when they start to become caricatures of themselves. A band should always be in flux and their "sound" should never be a constant or something that they strive for. This band is evolving before our very eyes (and ears). If you don\'t believe me take in a show, or download a show from Archive.org, or even go to thebreakfast.info to find out how to get hooked up to a bit.torrent.While Real Radio may sound different than their other three albums I think this is a good thing, this is proof that The Breakfast are growing as musicians. Furthermore an album should not be where a band is trying to blow your mind with sprawling jams, save that for the road. What I want to hear in an album is solid songs and great production (i.e. The Grand Scheme of Things). I would much rather listen to a band\'s discography and notice vast array of different songs and musical styles than to hear a band\'s "sound" over and over again.These guys are about to explode so while I suggest that you do yourself a favor and buy all of their albums and not just Real Radio so you can get their tasty flavor in your mouth. Then gorge yourself at one of their shows, because the proof is in the pudding not in the album. (There I think that\'s probably enough food references)
