Brooks Wood

BWB has been hitting the road and the music business hard, maturing as a band and as individual musicians. It is obvious when looking back that this dedication is paying off in a timely fashion. 'Today the first day' (their first CD) was everything a local band needed to support their cause, but lacked the polish essential to catching today's radio ears. Having caught their live shows on numerous occasions, it’s refreshing to hear a studio project yield such potential exposure. Now, BWB’s live show energy has been successfully captured on a studio album, and it’s a solid attention getter. Stepping into the limelight with "Breathe In, Breathe Out," the sophomore CD delivers to the masses the baited hook. Although the production itself has been stamped with a specific 'in-your-face' fingerprint normally heard in the larger venues catering to national acts, the album features bite-sized previews of great things to come. Listening to the core elements with studio magic set aside, it’s obvious the band's songwriting abilities are growing. Veering away from the lyrical fluff that characterizes most radio chart toppers, Brooks’ wordplay remains catchy while still containing substance. Leading this set of tunes, "Better Times" demands the ear of the regional radio, with the signature guitar licks and pop-ish melodies, and the piano pushes the production into the 21 and up grown college audience. The energy doesn't settle down with "Mirror", the upbeat radio hit of this collection, which drops the listener into the middle of what makes BWB unique: the songs drive the band, not one individual instrument. The third track 'More than I can show’ is the sleeper on the CD, as in the track that fans will fall in love with after warping the CD with "Mirror". "More than I can show" holds closest to BWB's live shows; pushing aside the heavily-engineered elements that play prominently throughout the album, BWB’s die-hard fans would recognize their boys’ raw and energetic flavor on this studio track. The final track "Follow me home" is what every CD should have: a cliffhanger track that leaves the listener wanting more, either from the shows or another CD. It closes out the CD with a good intention subliminally telling the listener "...just getting started..." Although the production quality on this album is mixed, and reminiscent of one of the area’s big successes (D.M.B), “Breathe in, Breath out” as a whole is BWB's answer to the mainstream question of ’What’s next?' It should serve as a springboard to making this talented band more than just a great local act. ~Sean Roux, Producer, Engineer & Musician - Sean Roux