The Breaks

I headed over to Cadillac Lounge to begin my third night of Canadian Music Week. I saw The Breaks, a band that rocks a blues-y sound mixed with country to put on an enjoyable, foot-stomping show. In typical blues-country fashion, the content of their music talked about whoever had done them wrong, and their choice of liquor: whiskey, gin, and rum.
The lead singer, Alex Beraldo, removed his guitar pick from his mouth, took a sip of beer, and launched the band into their third song. At this point, the crowd was pounding their feet and cheering. I was nodding my head and scribbling down some notes about the tastefully refrained drumbeat when a man sat beside me. He introduced himself as Uncle Tim, whose nephew was the bassist, Darcy Waffle. He informed me of the band’s initial meeting in school, and their beginnings in London, Ontario.
We were interrupted as Alex shredded into his guitar, and the band began jumping between slow and fast tempos with ease. I found myself thinking that this was the type of music that you listen to after a long day of work, when all you want to do is kick back on your porch with a beer. And, although this type of music has been done over and over again, The Breaks are clearly a fun-loving, welcome addition to the blues-country genre. - Demo Magazine

I headed over to Cadillac Lounge to begin my third night of Canadian Music Week. I saw The Breaks, a band that rocks a blues-y sound mixed with country to put on an enjoyable, foot-stomping show. In typical blues-country fashion, the content of their music talked about whoever had done them wrong, and their choice of liquor: whiskey, gin, and rum.
The lead singer, Alex Beraldo, removed his guitar pick from his mouth, took a sip of beer, and launched the band into their third song. At this point, the crowd was pounding their feet and cheering. I was nodding my head and scribbling down some notes about the tastefully refrained drumbeat when a man sat beside me. He introduced himself as Uncle Tim, whose nephew was the bassist, Darcy Waffle. He informed me of the band’s initial meeting in school, and their beginnings in London, Ontario.
We were interrupted as Alex shredded into his guitar, and the band began jumping between slow and fast tempos with ease. I found myself thinking that this was the type of music that you listen to after a long day of work, when all you want to do is kick back on your porch with a beer. And, although this type of music has been done over and over again, The Breaks are clearly a fun-loving, welcome addition to the blues-country genre. - Demo Magazine

Originally from London and now
based in Toronto, The Breaks have
released their sophomore album,
Honeybees. Employing instrumentation that augments the usual rock
music toolkit with banjo and harmonica, the band fashions a
unique sound that takes things into blues/rock and alt/country territory with enough twists and turns in the way they make
music to keep things interesting. There’s plenty of atmosphere
here and that’s as much due to Alex Beraldo’s convincingly sly
vocal work in the best rock tradition as it is to the fact that these
folks know how to play the dynamics and quiet spots in a song
to full advantage. Wrap that together with clever lyrics and a
great live studio sound and you’ve got a thoroughly enjoyable
repeat listening experience. – Rod Nicholson Performance: B+/
Production: B+ - Scene Magazine

Originally from London and now
based in Toronto, The Breaks have
released their sophomore album,
Honeybees. Employing instrumentation that augments the usual rock
music toolkit with banjo and harmonica, the band fashions a
unique sound that takes things into blues/rock and alt/country territory with enough twists and turns in the way they make
music to keep things interesting. There’s plenty of atmosphere
here and that’s as much due to Alex Beraldo’s convincingly sly
vocal work in the best rock tradition as it is to the fact that these
folks know how to play the dynamics and quiet spots in a song
to full advantage. Wrap that together with clever lyrics and a
great live studio sound and you’ve got a thoroughly enjoyable
repeat listening experience. – Rod Nicholson Performance: B+/
Production: B+ - Scene Magazine

The Breaks on CKDU
Halifax’s CKDU showed Toronto’s The Breaks some love, charting their sophomore album Honeybees at Number 4 on this week’s Top Thirty playlist. Warm and gritty, the Canadian rock and roll band pulls together piano, electric guitar, banjo, and harmonica to create a sweaty mix of blues, rock, R&B, and folk that would sound at home way down south where Spanish moss hangs from tall oak trees in the humid summer air. - CMJ

The Breaks on CKDU
Halifax’s CKDU showed Toronto’s The Breaks some love, charting their sophomore album Honeybees at Number 4 on this week’s Top Thirty playlist. Warm and gritty, the Canadian rock and roll band pulls together piano, electric guitar, banjo, and harmonica to create a sweaty mix of blues, rock, R&B, and folk that would sound at home way down south where Spanish moss hangs from tall oak trees in the humid summer air. - CMJ

Toronto-based blues band The Breaks are coming to town.

The band is so shiny and bright, having just released their debut album one year ago. The album, titled In Meetings, mixes blues with a healthy dose of folk, country and rock ’n’ roll. The 12 tracks are raw and packed with energy — the lead, Slumpin’ Roller, is a perfect example of this unrefined yet spectacular sound.

And while the band is new, it’s made up of veteran musicians (Alex Beraldo, Jeff Hughes and Darcy Waffle).

The Breaks will have company at their London show Saturday night. Look forward to opening sets by special guests Katlina Cowen and Bryce Jardin in the LMC’s Cellar Lounge. Doors are at 9 p.m., the show starts at 10 p.m., and cover is $6.
- The London Free Press

Toronto-based blues band The Breaks are coming to town.

The band is so shiny and bright, having just released their debut album one year ago. The album, titled In Meetings, mixes blues with a healthy dose of folk, country and rock ’n’ roll. The 12 tracks are raw and packed with energy — the lead, Slumpin’ Roller, is a perfect example of this unrefined yet spectacular sound.

And while the band is new, it’s made up of veteran musicians (Alex Beraldo, Jeff Hughes and Darcy Waffle).

The Breaks will have company at their London show Saturday night. Look forward to opening sets by special guests Katlina Cowen and Bryce Jardin in the LMC’s Cellar Lounge. Doors are at 9 p.m., the show starts at 10 p.m., and cover is $6.
- The London Free Press

The Breaks were featured on the One Way Monologues Podcast run by Toronto indie promoter Dan Wolovick - Two Way Monologues

The Breaks were featured on the One Way Monologues Podcast run by Toronto indie promoter Dan Wolovick - Two Way Monologues