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Breakerbox "From the Hooks" CD Review
Breakerbox "From The Hooks" 2009
"Did you ever lose your mind? come on baby and feel your way tonight", singer Christina DeNee' declares at the beginning of the opening song called "Lose Your Mind". I knew right away why the album is called "From The Hooks". Its a fitting title to a record that features shout along arena size choruses, driving synths, relentless guitars, and drummer Scott Calandra swaggers with an assertiveness that most drummers can't compete with.
This intense heat continues through pop/rock anthems Nobody Gets Me and Melody. DeNee' belts through these gems with imperative urgency and a precedence that her pop/rock rivals strive to inhibit. The CD may be called "From The Hooks", but there is one moment with the song "Miss You", when you think the album could have been called "From The Heart". DeNee' sings, "So its been awhile, since you've been gone. You been waying on mind, so I wrote this song". Its a moment of obvious beauty and heartfelt discontent. "From The Hooks" is in many ways a sign of the times. In a world of war and financial chaos, sometimes all you need is a melody to get you through.
full review coming soon.
stay tuned for Breakbox CD release date and tour info.
www.myspace.com/breakerbox
- Frank Carroll (DJ FRANK CHAMBERS) Billboard
Discography
"Breakerbox" (Self Titled EP) 2006
"Soul to Life" (Single) 2008
"From the Hooks" (EP) 2009
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Bio
Breakerbox was formed by singer/songwriter Christina DeNee' and drummer/producer Scott Calandra. A modern day “Eurythmics”, the two met in late 2001 at a basement audition for a group Christina was forming in Buffalo, New York. With a purchased plane ticket to Los Angeles, Scott came to the audition to indulge a good friend of his who said he “had to hear this girl”. After the other members left, he asked Christina to play some her songs for him “acoustic”. Sitting on a floor in a dingy apartment Christina belted out a few of her original songs with her guitar. “That’s when I heard “the voice”, but on top of it… she had the songs” says Scott.
Scott tore up his plane ticket, and the two went to work. Taking this to the big time wasn’t going to be easy, coming from a blue collar snow- belt city. They just didn’t fit the mold of the typical band in the area. “The Buffalo music scene is typically super heavy, EMO, or top 40 cover bands” says Christina. “We stood out, but they never knew where to place us”. The two grew together as performers, writers, engineers and producers. Gaining success and a strong following- working with different musicians and touring extensively together in different projects.
However, things changed in 2006, when they formed Breakerbox. They released their self titled EP independently and their songs found playtime on local radio stations, raising both the awareness of the group and the demand for Breakerbox on popular tickets in the area. At the same time, in NYC; their no holds barred live performances started to get them noticed by industry. The band was featured successfully at clubs such as “The Cutting Room”, “Arlene’s Grocery” and “The Continental” which started to get them important meetings. After 2 years of touring the northeast, and releasing a single "Soul to Life" produced by Corey Lowery; Breakerbox took their experiences back home to Buffalo to hone in on their sound, write new material and record and produce their own record.
Lyrically, Breakerbox explores a range of emotion, from feelings of loss, hopelessness and angst to their anthem of reckless abandon, “Lose your Mind” and the satiric content of the hook infested, “Pop Star”- reflecting the lack of integrity in today’s “Reality TV” culture. Intertwining unique funk driven synth work, strong melodic guitar and integral rock drumming; the Breakerbox sound is cemented by Christina’s demanding soulful voice. Producer Scott Calandra’s blend of funk, rock and dance in his mixes gives Breakerbox a totally original, yet relatable sound.
“An album that is heavy in emotion, attitude and musicianship. It is subtle, beautiful and powerful all at the same time.”- Frank Carroll, Billboard USA
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