DEALBREAKER

Unband
Thurs., Feb. 3
Ex-members of Northampton's infamous Unband have failed to drop dead or disappear, as was no doubt suspected, and probably hoped for, by many ... frontman Matt Pierce is rolling into town tonight with trio Fistah, whose songs include "Drugs, Drinkin' & Drugs" (and yes, that's all one title).

Even more noteworthy, however, is the bill's second act, Dealbreaker, helmed by one-time Northampton resident Jesse Gordon. Keep your tv eye on this young rock band. They might be considered the Unband's baby brother act. But then again, that's what the Stooges were to the MC5 at one point, too. Continental, 25 3rd Ave. (betw. St. Marks Pl. & 9th St.); 212-529-6924; 9; free.
—Tanya Richardson, New York Press, February 2005 - New York Press

DealbreakeR
Do you remember the scene in Billy Madison where Adam Sandler pulls up to high school in a t-top, throws his jacket back over his shoulders and blares Billy Squier's "Stroke?" So does Dealbreaker, the new rock band fronted by Jesse Gordon (Johnny Saliva & the Maggots). Think Northampton in 1998 and the Unband playing naked (only cock-rockier). The boys are back in town (shit, yeah, they like Thin Lizzy) tonight after a summer tour of the Jersey shore at The Hook. 18 Commerce St. (betw. Richard & Columbia Sts.), Red Hook, 718-797-3007, 10, $10.
- Tanya Richardson, New York Press; July 2004 - New York Press

DealbreakeR
...Deal With It
A riff-rock extravaganza of thick, meaty guitars and hard rock hooks, this Brooklyn trio’s debut effort covers the entire codex of ‘70's and ‘80's rock from Van Halen to Def Leppard with even a bit of 38 Special thrown in. Singer-guitarist Jesse Gordon approaches his vocals from a Stevie Wonder direction, though, souling it up like a Lenny Kravitz with more to sing about than Lisa Bonet, which plays well over the sometimes straight, sometimes funky, riff-driven tightness that works so well for this genre. The opening track, ‘NYC Girls,’ is more the disk’s pop hit, dripping with melodic honey while not entirely losing its rock edge, with some intermittent diminished slide-downs to boot. The next three songs, ‘Draggin,’ ‘Evil’ and ‘Monkey’ are more standard rock fare, with clever rhythms and big-sounding drums and bass guitars, espousing the bummers of being tied down (‘Draggin’), friends that don’t behave too well (‘Evil’) and of (possibly) underestimating someone’s intelligence (‘Monkey’). The final cut ‘Boss Hoss,’ departs to a more rootsy, Exile-era Rolling Stones feel with bluesy open tunings and straight, simple beats, reminding us all that hell, it’s only Rock’n’Roll, but I like it.
- Tao Jones, The Valley Advocate; August 2004 - Valley Advocate