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BREAKTIME GOT ALL REVVED UP IN THEIR 60S POP-ROCK SINGLE, MOTOR CITY MAMA
Amelia Vandergast | A&R Factory | 7/04/23
IF YOU WANNA GREASE THE WHEELS OF YOUR 60S POP-ROCK PLAYLISTS, THE LATEST SINGLE, MOTOR CITY MAMA, FROM THE ILLUSTRIOUS NOSTALGIA PEDDLERS BREAKTIME, WILL GET YOU ALL REVVED UP WITH THE BEACH BOYS-ESQUE VOCAL HARMONIES AND THE BRIGHT GUITAR MELODIES THAT BURST WITH VINTAGE FLAIR. HITTING PLAY IS LIKE STEPPING INTO A PARALLEL UNIVERSE WHERE BRIAN SETZER MANAGED TO WORK HIS WAY INTO THE BEATLES.
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THE NEW JERSEY-HAILING OUTFIT STARTED AS A COVER BAND BEFORE THEY STARTED TO NOD TOWARDS THEIR FAVOURITE ERAS AND ARTISTS IN THEIR ORIGINAL MUSIC RATHER THAN ASSIMILATE THEM, WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW BREAKTIME ACQUIRED THEIR AMALGAMATED SOUND THAT EMANATES ROCKABILLY, SIXTIES POP, BLUES ROCK AND SURF ROCK.
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EVEN THOUGH THE PRODIGAL SONS OF VINTAGE ROCK N ROLL SWITCH UP THEIR SOUND BETWEEN THEIR RELEASES, UPBEAT HARMONIES, TECHNICAL SKILL AND ARRESTING SHOWMANSHIP ALWAYS COME AS STANDARD.
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MOTOR CITY MAMA IS AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON SPOTIFY.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT A&R FACTORY HERE.
NEW & NOTABLE NJ MUSIC
Lazlo | BlowUpRadio.com for New Jersey Stage | 6/26/23
BREAKTIME - "MOTOR CITY MAMA/BE MINE". TWO NEW SONGS FROM BREAKTIME JUST IN TIME FOR THE SUMMER."MOTOR CITY MAMA" IS A FUN DITTY WITH A 60'S WEST COAST SURF ROCK SOUND. "BE MINE" SOUNDS LIKE A LOST LENNON/MCCARTNEY SONG FROM THE BEATLES EARLY DAYS.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT NEW JERSEY STAGE HERE.
FEEL THE AUTHENTIC ESSENCE OF ROCK & ROLL IN BREAKTIME’S NEWEST SINGLE ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’
Hughes Nelson | DailyMusicRoll | 6/26/23
BREAKTIME IS BRINGING BACK THE RETRO ROCK & ROLL AND COMBINING IT WITH MODERN MUSIC BEATS IN THEIR NEWEST SINGLE ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’. THE TRACK IS NOW OUT ON SPOTIFY.
THE INCREDIBLY TALENTED AND SKILLFUL BAND, BREAKTIME IS WINNING HEARTS LEFT AND RIGHT WITH THEIR NEWEST SINGLE ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’. MUSICALLY JOLLY AND CHEERFUL, THE TRACK IS AN EXCELLENT PIECE OF ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC. BRINGING THE 60S RETRO ROCK AND ROLL VIBE WITH THE 80S ELEMENTS, THIS SONG IS HIGHLY ENERGETIC AND ENGAGING AT THE SAME TIME. THE BAND HAS GIVEN A TERRIFIC PERFORMANCE AND HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN PRESENTING SUCH A FUN AND ENLIGHTENING VIBE WITH THE COMPOSITION.
THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES IN THE WORLD WHICH IS ALWAYS IN NEED OF SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SOMETHING NEW. MUSIC, BEING THE OLDEST AND MOST COMMON ART FORM, HAS THE MOST LISTENERS AND PEOPLE CONNECTED TO IT. THIS MAKES THE ART FORM EVEN MORE MONOTONOUS, WHICH IS WHY, WHEN PEOPLE GET SOMETHING REFRESHING, THEY CLING TO IT. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE BAND IS REPRESENTING WITH THEIR NEWEST MUSICAL CREATION AS IT DELIVERS, WHAT THE INDUSTRY AND THE LISTENERS REQUIRE, SOMETHING INVIGORATING.
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THE BAND WAS FOUNDED IN 2018, AS A STANDARD-ISSUE JERSEY COVER BAND WITH FOUR OF ITS MEMBERS. ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF THE GROUP, SEAN ON BASS, THOMMY ON LEAD GUITAR, DOUG ON RHYTHM GUITAR, AND PETER ON DRUMS, BRING SOMETHING UNIQUE, SOMETHING ENJOYABLE TO THE TABLE. BREAKTIME, WHAT ONCE STARTED AS A COVER BAND IS NOW INTO ITS OWN SONGWRITING COLLECTIVE. AS THE NUMBER OF LISTENERS AT THEIR LIVE SHOW STARTED TO INCREASE, THE BAND STARTED TO EVOLVE AND FOUND PASSION IN PROCURING ORIGINAL MUSIC. THE BAND’S LISTENERS, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PRIMARILY INTO SHOEGAZE, PUNK, HARD ROCK, AND COUNTRY, ARE NOW RECEIVING THE NEW MUSICAL CREATIONS OF THE BAND WITH OPEN ARMS AND EARS!
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THE LATEST MUSIC, ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’ CARRIES THE TRUE ESSENCE OF ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC THAT CAN INSTANTLY ENERGIZE THE AUDIENCE WITH THE INTENSE ROCK GUITAR TUNES AND THE ANTHEMIC AND DISTORTED TONES OF THE COMPOSITION. THE POP-ROCK LEANING COMPOSITION, USING BOTH RETRO AND MODERN BEATS IS THE CHAMPION IN THIS TRACK. HOWEVER, THE OPTIMISTIC STYLE OF STORYTELLING THROUGH EXPRESSIVE, HEART-FELT, AND WELL-VERSED LYRICS IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES THE SONG EVEN MORE MEMORABLE. ON TOP OF THAT, THE VOLUME AND THE REPETITION OF THE HOOK THAT ECHOES THROUGH THE AUDIENCE’S MINDS ARE PERFECTLY COMPLEMENTED BY THE DISTINCTIVE VOCALS IN THE MUSIC. THE TRACK IS FINALLY AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY, AND YOUTUBE ALONG WITH THEIR PREVIOUS HITS, ‘MASTERMIND’, ‘ROCK N’ ROLL REFUGEE’, ‘MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES’, ‘TAMMIE’, ETC. FOLLOW THE BAND ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND THEIR WEBSITE.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT DAILYMUSICROLL HERE.
GET HIT WITH PLEASANT NOSTALGIA AS BREAKTIME’S RECENT SINGLE ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’ IS BRINGING BACK ROCK & ROLL
Hughes Nelson | DailyMusicRoll | 6/26/23
LISTEN OUT TO THE NEW JOYOUS PRODUCTION OF ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’, BY THE SKILLFUL BAND BREAKTIME, WHICH HAS A MUSICALLY UPBEAT COMPOSITION AND PASSIONATE VOCALS.
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ARE YOU A FAN OF OLD COUNTRY AND RETRO ROCK & ROLL MUSIC? THEN YOU MUST MISS THE PRODUCTION IN MODERN MUSIC AND ALWAYS HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE COMPOSITIONS OF THE RETRO ERA, AS EARLY AS THE 60S. WELL, THIS BAND, BREAKTIME HAS GOT A SOLUTION FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE BRINGING THE AUTHENTIC TASTE, THE TRUE ESSENCE OF ROCK & ROLL TO THE SCENE. THE BAND’S NEWEST SINGLE ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’ WILL BLOW YOUR MIND WITH ITS REFRESHING MELODY AND CATCHY TUNES. I WAS COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED WHEN I FIRST LISTENED TO THE TRACK AND AS A TRUE FAN OF COUNTRY AND ROCK & ROLL MUSIC, I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE THIS GOOD.
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‘MOTOR CITY MAMA’ HAS A CATCHY HOOK AND MELODY THAT WILL STAY WITH YOU FOR A LONG TIME. THE UPBEAT MUSIC, LEANING TOWARDS COLORFUL POP-ROCK MAKES THE COMPOSITION SO ADDICTIVE THAT YOU CANNOT STOP LISTENING TO IT. SOMETHING THAT IMPRESSED ME THE MOST IS HOW THEY INCORPORATED MODERN MUSIC TUNES AND BEATS INTO THE COMPOSITION WHICH IS HEAVILY FOCUSED ON RETRO AND EVOCATIVE ROCK & ROLL. BREAKTIME AND ITS FOUR MEMBERS, SEAN ON BASS, THOMMY ON LEAD GUITAR, DOUG ON RHYTHM GUITAR, AND PETER ON DRUMS ALL DID AMAZING ON THEIR PARTS TO MAKE THIS SONG A TRULY REMARKABLE ONE. SOMETHING THAT STAYS WITH YOU FOR LONGER IN THIS TRACK IS THE LYRICS, REFRESHING AND ENJOYABLE, AND MOSTLY, THE WELL-WRITTEN VERSES ARE SUPER EXPRESSIVE.
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YOU CAN LISTEN TO THIS TRACK ON SPOTIFY AND YOUTUBE ALONG WITH THE BAND’S PREVIOUS RELEASES, SUCH AS; ‘MASTERMIND’, ‘ROCK N’ ROLL REFUGEE’, ‘MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES’, ‘TAMMIE’, ETC. FOLLOW THEM ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND THEIR WEBSITE FOR MORE.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT DAILYMUSICROLL HERE.
BREAKTIME’S NEW SINGLE “MOTOR CITY MAMA” IS PURE ROCK & ROLL 2023
Sanjh Vishwakarma | Kuch Jano News Agency | 6/26/23
BREAKTIME’S “MOTOR CITY MAMA” IS A HIT. THE ROCK AND ROLL SONG IS HAPPY AND UPBEAT. THIS FRENETIC TUNE MIXES 60S THROWBACK ROCK AND ROLL WITH 80S INFLUENCES. THE BAND PERFORMED WELL AND GAVE THE COMPOSITION A JOYFUL AND ILLUMINATING ATMOSPHERE.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, IS CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FRESH. MUSIC IS THE OLDEST AND MOST POPULAR ART FORM. THIS MAKES THE ART FORM EVEN MORE REPETITIVE, SO PEOPLE GRAB ANYTHING NEW. THE BAND’S LATEST SONG OFFERS WHAT THE INDUSTRY AND AUDIENCES WANT—INVIGORATING.
FOUR MEMBERS FORMED A JERSEY COVER BAND IN 2018. SEAN ON BASS, THOMMY ON LEAD GUITAR, DOUG ON RHYTHM GUITAR, AND PETER ON DRUMS EACH PROVIDE SOMETHING DISTINCT AND DELIGHTFUL. BREAKTIME, A COVER BAND, IS NOW A SONGWRITING COLLABORATIVE.
THE BAND BEGAN TO WRITE FRESH MUSIC AS THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCE ATTENDANCE INCREASED. THE BAND’S FANS, WHO FORMERLY LIKED SHOEGAZE, PUNK, HARD ROCK, AND COUNTRY, ARE NOW WELCOMING THEIR NEW MUSIC!
THE STRONG ROCK GUITAR RIFFS AND ANTHEMIC, DISTORTED TONES OF “MOTOR CITY MAMA” INVIGORATE THE CROWD. THIS TRACK’S POP-ROCK, RETRO-MODERN COMPOSITION WINS.
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HOWEVER, THE POSITIVE TALE VIA EXPRESSIVE, HEARTFELT, AND WELL-VERSED LYRICS MAKES THE SONG MORE UNFORGETTABLE. THE MUSIC’S UNIQUE VOICES COMPLIMENT THE HOOK’S LOUDNESS AND RECURRENCE IN THE AUDIENCE’S HEAD.
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“MASTERMIND,” “ROCK N’ ROLL REFUGEE,” “MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES,” “TAMMIE,” AND OTHERS ARE NOW ON SPOTIFY AND YOUTUBE. FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND THE BAND’S WEBSITE.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT KUCH JANO NEWS AGENCY HERE.
BREAKTIME: MOTOR CITY MAMA​ B/W ​BE MINE
Hans Werksman | Here Comes The Flood | 6/24/23
NEW JERSEY OLD SCHOOL BAND BREAKTIME ARE UPPING THE ANTE WITH A NEW DOUBLE A-SIDE, MOTOR CITY MAMA B/W BE MINE. NO BONUS POINTS FOR GUESSING THEIR MAIN INFLUENCES. THEIR SONG ON A COOL DETROIT WOMAN WILL GET THEM PLAYS ON OLDIES RADIO STATIONS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FRESH - REFFING MOTOR SOUNDS INCLUDED IN THE CODA. THE MERSEY BEAT-INSPIRED LOVE SONG DOESN'T REALLY GEL, AS THEY SKIRT AROUND THE RHYTHM SEARCHING FOR A SAFE SPOT TO LAND, WHICH IS A SHAME, BECAUSE THE VOCALS DESERVE A BETTER BACKING.
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MOTOR CITY MAMA B/W BE MINE IS A SELF-RELEASED SINGLE. BUY IT FROM THEIR WEBSITE.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT HERE COMES THE FLOOD HERE.
BREAKTIME'S 'MOTOR CITY MAMA/BE MINE' A SUMMER KICKOFF WITH MELODIES AND HARMONIES "LIKE SUNRAYS"
TAPINTO Bayonne | 6/21/23
THE DOUBLE-SINGLE'S SURF ROCK/MERSEYBEAT TANDEM SETS THE STAGE FOR SUMMER EP; BAND TO PERFORM RELEASE SHOW AT ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL 7/1, 8PM.
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BAYONNE, NJ – BAYONNE’S INDIE POP BAND BREAKTIME PROCLAIMS THEY ARE “FULL STEAM AHEAD” FROM THEIR INITIAL DECEMBER 2022 EP OFFERING ENTITLED GREAT TIMES WITH A PAIR OF DOUBLE-SINGLES. THE FIRST OF THESE DOUBLE-SINGLES, “MOTOR CITY MAMA/BE MINE,” COMES MIXED AND MASTERED BY XANTHI MUSIC’S ROD SHEPARD AND CHANNELS THE TWIN ADRENALINES OF A DETROIT DRAG RACE AND YOUNG LUST INTO A HEALTHY SERVING OF JERSEY SURF ROCK. SONGWRITER AND BASSIST SEAN MANUEL COMMENTS, “THIS FIRST OF TWO DOUBLE-SINGLES PERSONIFIES SUMMER FREEDOM AND THE ALLURE OF SUMMER LOVE. IF YOU’RE ONE TO BLAST YOUR MUSIC WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN ON YOUR WAY TO THE BEACH, ‘MOTOR CITY MAMA/BE MINE’ IS THE NEWEST ADDITION TO YOUR SUMMER PLAYLIST. LET US WHISK YOU AWAY!” THE DOUBLE-SINGLE RELEASES FRIDAY, JUNE 23RD. AFTERWARD, BREAKTIME WILL PERFORM A SINGLE RELEASE SHOW AT ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL'S STAGE 1 SATURDAY, JULY 1ST, AT 8PM.
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“MOTOR CITY MAMA/BE MINE” BEGINS THE ROAD TO BREAKTIME’S NEXT EP AS THE YOUNG BAND PRIORITIZES “MEMORABLE, INTRIGUING MELODIES” AND SUBTLE ARRANGEMENT CHOICES TO AUGMENT SUCH MELODIES. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, PLEASANT HARMONIES, AND SO-CALLED “NAUGHTY CHORDS” DEFINE THEIR ROADMAP TO RENDER “SONGS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY COULD BE PLAYED AT SCHOOL DANCES AS JOCKS WRAP THEIR SWEETHEARTS IN THEIR LETTERMAN JACKETS TO SEAL THE DEAL.” THE RESULT? BREAKTIME CREATES SOMETHING NEW YET “SO WARM AND FAMILIAR THAT YOU MIGHT END UP SINGING ALONG WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT.”
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TAKE THE CLASSIC HARMONIC STYLINGS OF BANDS LIKE THE BEATLES AND THE BEACH BOYS, BATHE THEM IN THE HUDSON RIVER, AND MESH WITH MODERN EARWORM POP. THAT’S BREAKTIME! BREAKTIME CHAMPIONS AN UPBEAT, OPTIMISTIC POP ROCK SONGWRITING STYLE WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE TOUCHES CULMINATING IN A SONIC CELEBRATION FROM THEIR STUDIO TO YOUR EARS.
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BREAKTIME CAN BE FOUND ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, AND TIKTOK (@BREAKTIMELIVENJ)
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT TAPINTO BAYONNE HERE.
BREAKTIME SELECTED TO TOP 10 PT. PLEASANT BEACH BATTLE OF THE BANDS PRO ACTS
TAPINTO Bayonne | 05/10/2023
BAYONNE, NJ – PER THE POINT PLEASANT BEACH RECREATION COMMITTEE, BAYONNE’S INDIE POP BAND BREAKTIME IS AMONG THE 10 BEST ACTS TO APPLY FOR THE PRO CATEGORY AND WILL COMPETE IN THE 2ND ANNUAL POINT PLEASANT BEACH BATTLE OF THE BANDS ON SATURDAY, JUNE 10TH.
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THE EVENT WILL BE HELD FROM 5:00 P.M.UNTIL- 9:00 P.M.
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BREAKTIME IS BASSIST SEAN MANUEL, RHYTHM GUITARIST DOUGLAS LUPO, AND LEAD GUITARIST THOMMY DELANEY JR., OF BAYONNE, WITH CRANFORD’S PETER MATTHEW ON DRUMS. ASSEMBLING THROUGH THEIR STUDIES AT NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY, THE BAND PENS MODERN TUNES WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE ALLUSIONS TO ARTISTS LIKE TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS, THE BEACH BOYS, THE BYRDS, AND THE BEATLES. MANUEL EXCLAIMED, “WE’RE ECSTATIC AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT BAYONNE AND CRANFORD, NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY, AND OUR LOCAL ORIGINAL MUSIC SCENE AT THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS. BEST BELIEVE WE WILL LIVE OUR SLOGAN, ‘BREAKTIME’S A GREAT TIME,’ PERFORM A SET THAT BEST EXHIBITS OUR RAW, CAREFREE SOUNDSCAPE, AND LEAVE THE CROWD IN A COLLECTIVE SMILE.”
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THE RECREATION COMMITTEE SET THIS YEAR’S PRO GRAND PRIZE TO $1,000 – DOUBLE LAST YEAR’S AMOUNT. IT IS ALSO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 95.9 WRAT TO FEATURE THE EVENT AND ITS PARTICIPANTS. WITH A SUBSTANTIAL CROWD EXPECTED TO BE IN POINT PLEASANT BEACH FOR BOAT RACE WEEKEND, THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS IS PRIMED FOR SUMMER WARMTH PROVIDED BY BREAKTIME’S JANGLY GUITARS, PLEASANT MELODIES, AND HARMONIES, “LIKE SUNRAYS.” (LAZLO, BLOWUPRADIO.COM FOR NEW JERSEY STAGE)
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PRIOR TO THEIR APPEARANCE IN THE COMPETITION, BREAKTIME IS HEADLINING AN EVENT ENTITLED "BREAKTIME'S 1ST ANNUAL 'WAY EARLY FEST': A PRE-MEMORIAL DAY SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA" AT CROSSROADS (78 NORTH AVE, GARWOOD, NJ 07027) THURSDAY, MAY 25TH, AT 10PM. OPENING BANDS ON THE BILL INCLUDE PSYCHEDELIC JAZZ BAND RUBBASNUFF (7PM), AMERICANA BAND MOJOHAND (8PM), AND POWER POP BAND THE WEDNESDAYS (9PM). CONCERT ATTENDEES WILL HEAR SOME OF THE SONGS BREAKTIME PLANS TO HIGHLIGHT IN THEIR BATTLE OF THE BANDS SET AT THIS EVENT.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT TAPINTO BAYONNE HERE.
GREETINGS FROM THE GARDEN STATE'S MIKE HAM INTERVIEWS BREAKTIME
GFTGS | 04/04/2023
BREAKTIME FEATURES CRANFORD MUSICIAN
Bernie Wagenblast | PATCH | 03/18/2023
THE MEMBERS OF BREAKTIME HAVE BEEN PERFORMING TOGETHER A LITTLE OVER A YEAR BUT THEY’VE ALREADY RELEASED ONE EP WITH A SECOND ON THE WAY. THE FOUR MEMBER GROUP FEATURES CRANFORD RESIDENT AND CRANFORD HIGH SCHOOL GRAD PETER ROEFARO (PETER MATTHEW) ON DRUMS.
CRANFORD RADIO SAT DOWN WITH THE GROUP TO LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR MUSIC, HOW THEY CAME TOGETHER AND WHAT THEY HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. WE ALSO LEARNED FROM PETER HOW THE CHS MARCHING BAND PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN HIS MUSICAL LIFE AND THE ROLE OF JAZZ IN NOT JUST BREAKTIME BUT OTHER AREAS, AS WELL.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT PATCH HERE.
SATURDAYS WITH BERNIE: BREAKTIME
TIC Staff | TAPIntoCRANFORD | 03/18/2023
CRANFORD, NJ - THIS WEEK, BERNIE WAGENBLAST INTERVIEWS BREAKTIME, A BAND MADE OF FOUR NJ NATIVES, INCLUDING THEIR DRUMMER, CRANFORD HIGH GRADUATE PETER ROEFARO.
DOUGLAS LUPO, THOMMY DELANEY, SEAN MANUEL, ALL OF BAYONNE, NJ AND ROEFARO ARE THE QUARTET OF MUSICIANS THAT PLAY "MODERN POP WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE TOUCHES," MANUEL SAID ON THE PODCAST. THEIR MUSIC IS WRITTEN IN A MODERN STYLE WITH ALLUSIONS TO CLASSIC BANDS SUCH AS TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS AND THE DOORS, HE ADDED.
MANUEL SAID THE BAND'S GOAL IS TO "MAKE YOU HAPPY, ENHANCE YOUR MOOD WITH OUR PLEASANT MELODIES AND HARMONIES."
ALL FOUR GROUP MEMBERS MET THROUGH THEIR TIME AT NEW JERSEY CITY UNIVERSITY. MANUEL ORIGINALLY STARTED THE GROUP IN 2018 WITH THREE DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND THROUGH A SERIES OF TWISTS AND TURNS CREATED THE CURRENT GROUP. LUPO, DELANEY, MANUEL AND ROEFARO HAVE ONLY BEEN PLAYING TOGETHER SINCE EARLY 2022, BUT HAVE PRODUCED ONE EP AND HAS A SECOND ONE ON THE WAY.
THEY ALSO PERFORMED AT CRANFORD'S PORCHFEST IN OCTOBER 2022. TO HEAR MORE ABOUT BREAKTIME, LISTEN TO THIS WEEK'S CRANFORD RADIO.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT TAPIntoCRANFORD HERE.
BREAKTIME FEATURES CRANFORD MUSICIAN
Bernie Wagenblast | Cranford Radio | 03/17/2023
THE MEMBERS OF BREAKTIME HAVE BEEN PERFORMING TOGETHER A LITTLE OVER A YEAR BUT THEY’VE ALREADY RELEASED ONE EP WITH A SECOND ON THE WAY. THE FOUR MEMBER GROUP FEATURES CRANFORD RESIDENT AND CRANFORD HIGH SCHOOL GRAD PETER ROEFARO (PETER MATTHEW) ON DRUMS.
CRANFORD RADIO SAT DOWN WITH THE GROUP TO LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR MUSIC, HOW THEY CAME TOGETHER AND WHAT THEY HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. WE ALSO LEARNED FROM PETER HOW THE CHS MARCHING BAND PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN HIS MUSICAL LIFE AND THE ROLE OF JAZZ IN NOT JUST BREAKTIME BUT OTHER AREAS, AS WELL.
AS A SIDE NOTE, BREAKTIME WILL BE PERFORMING SATURDAY, APRIL 1 AT THE HALFWAY TO CRANSTOCK EVENT AT THE CRANFORD ELKS LODGE.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT CRANFORD RADIO HERE.
RETRO ROCKERS DEBUT EP RELEASE GREAT TIMES
Memphis Marty | Blues and Roots | 03/14/2023
BREAKTIME IS A NEW JERSEY ORIGINALS-AND-COVERS BAND THAT CHAMPIONS AN UPBEAT, OPTIMISTIC POP ROCK STYLE WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE FLAIR. THE BAND’S COVER REPERTOIRE EXTENDS OVER 60 YEARS AND INCLUDES NODS TO ARTISTS FROM CHUCK BERRY TO THE BLACK KEYS. TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THEIR COVER REPERTOIRE’S STYLISTIC BREADTH, BREAKTIME MAKES ORIGINAL MATERIAL EXPLOITS INTO TRADITIONAL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, SIXTIES POP, SURF ROCK, HARD ROCK, AND FOLK.
FANS PROPELLED THE BAND’S LATEST SINGLE RELEASE, THE BLISTERING HARD ROCK TRACK “MASTERMIND,” TO OVER 7,000 STREAMS. TRUE TO THEIR GENRE-HOPPING HABITS, BREAKTIME’S GREAT TIMES DEBUT EP LEAD SINGLE “MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES” FEATURES A TWELVE-STRING ELECTRIC GUITAR SUBMERGING THE LISTENER INTO A JANGLY SIXTIES TIME-WARP.
WITH THEIR RICH THREE-TO-FOUR-PART HARMONIES, TECHNICAL SKILL, SHOWMANSHIP, AND WILLINGNESS TO UNABASHEDLY BLEND SONIC PALETTES, BREAKTIME PROMISES AND DELIVERS A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT BLUES AND ROOTS MUSIC BLOG HERE.
BREAKTIME CHALLENGES TODAY'S MUSIC
Buzz Music Staff | Buzz Music | 02/24/2023
DO YOU THINK ROCK 'N' ROLL IS THE RELIC OF A PAST GENERATION? THINK AGAIN. BREAKTIME CHAMPIONS AN UPBEAT, OPTIMISTIC POP-ROCK SONGWRITING STYLE WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE TOUCHES CULMINATING IN A SONIC CELEBRATION FROM THEIR STUDIO TO YOUR EARS.
FOUNDED IN 2018 TO KEEP THE ORIGINAL YOUTHFUL ENERGY OF BELOVED CLASSIC ROCK TUNES ALIVE, BREAKTIME HAS DEVELOPED FROM A STANDARD-ISSUE JERSEY COVER BAND INTO ITS OWN SONGWRITING COLLECTIVE.
THE COLLECTION OF SONGS ON THEIR LATEST ALBUM, 'GREAT TIMES,' RESEMBLES NOSTALGIA THROUGH THE ERAS INFLUENCING THEIR REMINISCENT SOUND.
WITH A JAUNTY AMBIANCE PROPELLED THROUGH THE ALBUM'S INTRODUCTORY SINGLE, "MASTERMIND," BREAKTIMES INSTILLS AN UPBEAT AND ENERGETIC ATMOSPHERE THROUGH OUR SPEAKERS AS WE BASK IN RHYTHMIC BASSLINES AND A SWING THAT'S BOUND TO GET YOU GROOVING TO THE MUSIC. INFUSED WITH AN ANALOG TOUCH TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE OLD-SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS STREAMLINING THROUGH EACH SONG, "MASTERMIND" KICKS OFF THE ALBUM WITH A FRENZY OF DANCEABLE DOO-WOP MUSIC THAT CONTINUES TO CATAPULT GLIMMERING ELEMENTS OF MUSICALITY TO THE FOREFRONT.
NOW, WE GET THE PLEASURE OF REVISITING A REALM MUCH LIKE THIS ONE WHEN WE GET TO THE SIXTH TRACK, "JAM SAUCE." ALTHOUGH THIS RECORD DITCHES THE SMOOTH CROONS FOR A PURELY INSTRUMENTAL NARRATIVE, THE EFFERVESCENCE OF BREAKTIME INSISTS ON SHINING THROUGH EACH MELODY PERFORMED.
FROM CRUNCHY GUITAR SOLOS TO THE DYNAMIC PERCUSSION, NOT ONLY CARVING OUT A PATH FOR THE DRUM HITS TO LEAVE AN IMPACT - BUT ALSO LEAVING SPACE TO CARESS EACH SHAKE OF THE GLIMMERING TAMBOURINES, THERE'S A WELL-THOUGHT-OUT PLAN OF ATTACK IN EACH SONG CONVEYED. SOME TAKE DOWN TEMPOS TO BASK IN THE FRUITFUL SENTIMENTS DELIVERED, WHILE OTHERS USE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A PEP IN YOUR STEP AND HAVE YOU BOUNCING FROM WALL TO WALL.
MESHING THE GOLDEN ERA OF MUSIC IN A TIME OF MODERN SOUNDSCAPES IS NO EASY FEAT, WITH THE INFLUENCES OF TODAY BEING VASTLY OVERPOWERING. THEN YOU HEAR THE JOY CAPTURED IN THE RECORDING OF "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES" - THE SECOND SONG TO GRACE US AS WE CARRY OURSELVES THROUGHOUT "GREAT TIMES." BREAKTIME MANAGES TO DO THIS QUICKLY AND GIVES US SONGS THAT SOUND LIKE THEY COULD BE PLAYED AT SCHOOL DANCES AS JOCKS WRAP THEIR SWEETHEARTS IN THEIR LETTERMAN JACKETS TO SEAL THE DEAL.
A MYRIAD OF LOVING THEMES IS DISPERSED THROUGH 'GREAT TIMES.' FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH POISE YET TAKING THE TEMPO DOWN A NOTCH, "GOOD TO YOU" IS FUELED WITH ADORNED EMOTION AND WHISKS US AWAY IN THOSE LOVING FEELINGS YOU GET BY LEAVING IT ALL ON THE TABLE WHEN PROFESSING YOUR LOVE TO THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE. WHILE A SONG LIKE "ALL THAT I NEED" TOUCHES ON A SIMILAR NARRATIVE, THE ENERGY DISBURSED THROUGH THE SANGUINE INSTRUMENTATION LEAVES US FEELING STRUCK WITH DIFFERENT EMOTIONS. ONES OF HOPEFULNESS THAT SEND US ON A MISSION TO FIND OUR SPECIAL ONE. BETTER YET, COULD THE APPLE OF BREAKTIME'S EYE BE NAMED "TAMMIE?" WELL, SHE MAY BE WITH THE BUOYANT BALLAD FALLING SEVENTH ON THE TRACKLIST.
TAKING US TO THE FINAL RECORD OF 'GREAT TIMES,' BREAKTIME HAS US SAVOURING EVERY SWEET MOMENT ENDURED WITH "CATCH A RIDE, 425." AS TIGHTLY-KNIT PERCUSSION AND AN INTRIGUING HARMONICA SOLO TAKE THE HELM BEFORE SENDING US OFF, BREAKTIME LEAVES US OFF BETTER THAN THEY FOUND US. WITH THE SAME ENERGETIC SWING THAT THEY WON US OVER, WE'RE IMMERSED IN THE LIVELY DYNAMISM CONVEYED THROUGHOUT THIS SINGLE. WRAPPING UP THE ESSENCE OF THE ALBUM IN A WAY THAT RESEMBLES BREAKTIME PERFECTLY - 'GREAT TIMES' MUST BE NAMED THAT BECAUSE IT'S WHAT YOU'LL EXPERIENCE WHEN SOAKING UP EVERY MELODY THROUGH THE COLLECTION OF SONGS.
WELCOME TO BUZZMUSIC, BREAKTIME, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RELEASE OF “GREAT TIMES;” WITH ALL THE ERAS, WHAT MADE YOU GRAVITATE TO THE 1960S?
SEAN: EXCEPT FOR MUSIC I WOULD HEAR ON MY MORNING RIDES TO SCHOOL FROM WCBSFM 101.1, THE BEATLES' AND BEACH BOYS' RESPECTIVE CATALOGUES DOMINATED MY FORMATIVE YEARS. I GREW MORE APPRECIATIVE OF OTHER ERAS AND ARTISTS (SUCH AS BILLY JOEL, ELTON JOHN, TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS, AND QUEEN FROM THE 1970S) AS I MATURED THROUGH MY TEENAGE YEARS; HOWEVER, MY MELODIC AND HARMONIC INSTINCTS EMERGED FROM THE 1960S OEUVRE. THUS, BREAKTIME GRAVITATES TO THE 1960S UNDER ACTING ON INSTINCT (OF WHICH I HAVE WRITTEN IN THIS STYLE SINCE 2018).
WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE, AND WHERE DO YOU GET MOST OF YOUR INSPIRATION?
SEAN: MY PROCESS IS FLEXIBLE AND DYNAMIC. I OCCASIONALLY RECEIVE INSPIRATION FROM READING OR HEARING A LYRICAL WORD OR PHRASE. OFTENTIMES, I CONJURE UP A MELODIC IDEA AND HUM IT TO MYSELF. IN EITHER SITUATION, I MUST REMEMBER THE WORD, PHRASE, OR MELODIC IDEA TO BE CONSIDERED QUALITY. IT'S ONLY EVER TO BE FILLER-AT-BEST IF IT'S FORGETTABLE. ONCE I HAVE A BASIS FROM THE MEMORABLE SNIPPET, I ELABORATE AND BUILD AROUND IT ACCORDING TO WHAT BEST ALLOWS IT TO DEVELOP FREELY. IF IT'S MELODY-FIRST, I THEN WRITE CHORDS AROUND THE MELODY (IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO WRITE THE MELODY AROUND THE CHORDS AS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A VEHICLE FOR THE MELODY) AND SCRAWL LYRICS TOGETHER TO HELP ME REMEMBER THE WHOLE TUNE. IN THE CASE OF LYRICS-FIRST WRITING, PLACE THE "SCRAWL LYRICS" STEP FROM THE MELODY-FIRST PROCESS AT THE BEGINNING INSTEAD OF THE END. I COMMONLY BRING COMPLETE SONGS TO THE STUDIO FOR ARRANGEMENT AND RECORDING.
THOMMY: I'M A PROGRESSION-FIRST WRITER. THE PROGRESSION THEN REVEALS THE MELODY TO ME. LYRICS ARE LAST, AS I SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLE WITH THEM. WITH THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE, I CREATE MY SOLOS BASED ON MIXING AND MATCHING SCALES AND FINDING WAYS TO REPHRASE THE MELODY INTO A UNIQUE, MEMORABLE, AND EXPRESSIVE MUSICAL THOUGHT. IT'S MAGICAL WHEN IT HAPPENS!
DOUG: I DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO "FORMULA" SONGWRITING. LIKE SEAN, I REGULARLY GET INSPIRED FROM READING OR HEARING LYRICISM DAILY. MY PROCESS LEANS HEAVILY TO THE LYRICAL SIDE AS I ENDEAVOUR TO COMMUNICATE ABSTRACT MEANING. PROGRESSIONS THAT ARE NOT OVERDONE ARE A MUST AS WELL. ONLY 12 PITCHES AND MANY COMBINATIONS SOUND PLEASANT TOGETHER; HOWEVER, I LIKE TO WORK FOR MY CREATIVITY.
PETER: DRUMS COME FIRST. I ASSIGN THEMES TO SECTIONS, AND THESE THEMES INFORM MY CHORD PROGRESSIONS. LIKE DOUG, I ATTEMPT TO SOUND UNORTHODOX YET PLEASANT IN MY SONGWRITING AND PULL FROM VARIOUS GENRES. I'M A JAZZ ENTHUSIAST, SO I PRIORITIZE JAZZ-ORIENTED CHOICES AND INTEGRATE OTHER GENRES LIKE LATIN, HIP-HOP, AND REGGAE.
WHO CAME UP WITH THE NAME “BREAKTIME,” AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
SEAN: "BREAKTIME" COMES FROM A CONVERSATION MY UNCLE AND HIS FRIEND ENGAGED IN AT A LOCAL BAR CALLED THE STARTING POINT. THEY RUMINATED OVER BAND NAMES, AND MY UNCLE'S FRIEND ARRIVED AT "BREAKTIME," REMARKING: "YOU KNOW...EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD BREAKTIME." MY UNCLE THINKS IT'S A STUPID NAME. HE'S WRONG, THOUGH! IT HELD THE ORIGINAL "EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD BREAKTIME" MEANING UNTIL WE COLLECTIVELY CONTINUED TO WRITE IN A VINTAGE STYLE. OUR CATALOGUE IS GROWING FAST, CREATING A SUBSTANTIVE MEANING FOR "BREAKTIME" AS A "MODERN VINTAGE SONIC CELEBRATION." THE SONGS ARE NEW AND YOUTHFUL, YET, THEY ARE CREATED FROM CLASSIC TECHNIQUES UNREASONABLY ABANDONED IN TODAY'S POPULAR MUSIC. SINCE OUR SONGS ARE TYPICALLY "HAPPY," "SUNNY," AND "WARM," LIKE THE SUMMER, WE'VE ADOPTED THE SLOGAN "BREAKTIME'S A GREAT TIME!"
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 PICKS FOR CARS FROM THE 1960S?
SEAN: LIKE THE BEATLEMANIAC I AM, I WOULD HAVE TO SUBMIT THE 1968 "LOTUS WHITE" VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 1500 MODEL INTO THE TOP 3. NOTE: YOU CAN FIND IT ON THE ABBEY ROAD ALBUM COVER BEHIND GEORGE HARRISON.
THOMMY: I'LL TAKE THE BEATLE SPIN AND RAISE YOU A MONKEE-INSPIRED PICK! THAT WOULD BE THE 1966 PONTIAC GTO MONKEEMOBILE. YOU MUST ADMIT THE MONKEES EXUDED "COOL" DRIVING AROUND IN THAT CAR ON THEIR SHOW.
DOUG: LET'S GO WITH THE 1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE STING RAY. WHAT A RETRO LOOK!
PETER: I DON'T HAVE ONE, BUT I DIDN'T WANT FOMO ON ANSWERING THE QUESTION...
IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ANOTHER ERA TO PULL INSPIRATION FROM, WHAT ERA WOULD IT BE?
SEAN: THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION! WE ENJOY THE JAM BAND AND PROG OUTPUT FROM THE 1970S, SO THE 1970S WOULD BE ANOTHER ERA WE WOULD BE CURIOUS TO PULL INSPIRATION FROM.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT BUZZ MUSIC HERE.
THE CLASSIC STYLE OF BREAKTIME
Buzz Slayers Staff | Buzz Slayers | 02/12/2023
THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASE FROM BREAKTIME HITS SO MANY CLASSIC ROCK SWEET SPOTS THAT IT COMES THROUGH WITH AN INCREDIBLE AUTHENTICITY FROM THE INSTRUMENTATION TO THE SONGWRITING AND PERFORMANCES, THIS RELEASE HITS THE SOUNDSCAPE OF SINGLES FROM THE 60S AND DOES IT ALL WITH A CHARM.
THE GREAT TIMES RECORD HAS A WONDERFUL APPROACH THAT NOT ONLY NAILS THAT NOSTALGIC GOLDEN OLDIES TONALITY BUT ALSO SHOWS THE BAND'S LOVE FOR THEIR CRAFT WITHOUT QUESTION.
FEELS LIKE THE KIND OF RECORD THAT WAS BEING WORKED ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND THE BEST PART ABOUT IT IS THERE ARE ASPECTS ABOUT IT THAT FEEL COMPLETELY LIVE ON THE FLOOR SO THAT ENERGY BETWEEN THE MUSICIANS IS BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH AND DRIVING THE SONG FURTHER.
THIS IS DEFINITELY THE KIND OF BAND THAT YOU DO ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE LIVE BECAUSE THE SONGS FEEL SO WARM AND FAMILIAR THAT YOU MIGHT END UP SINGING ALONG WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT.
EVERYTHING FROM THE WAY THE VOCALS ARE DONE DOWN TO THE GUITAR TONES AND DRUMMING ARE REALLY PARTICULARLY DONE IN THAT SPECIFIC WAY, SO IT FEELS LIKE A GENUINE CLASSIC ROCK SINGLE.
NOW, MOST OF THESE SONGS DEFINITELY COULD STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO LEGS BUT LISTENING TO THE WHOLE ALBUM AS ONE PIECE IS REALLY THE WAY TO GO HERE.
THIS IS MAINLY BECAUSE A RECORD LIKE THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU COME ACROSS OFTEN AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF DIG IN AND SEE THE DIFFERENT STYLES THAT ARE DONE.
AND IT'S TOTALLY WORTH DOING THAT BECAUSE THE SONGS DO VARY AND DIFFER BUT THE WAY THEY VERY DIFFER IS ALMOST LIKE CHANGING THE DECADE REPRESENTED IN THE SONG.
IT'S SUCH A COOL VIBE TO HEAR A BAND LIKE THIS REVIVE THESE KINDS OF SOUNDS AND DO IT WITH THE AESTHETIC BUILT IN.
THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG BANDS THAT DO THEIR OWN THING BUT ARE GOING FOR CLASSIC ROCK FIELDS AND STYLES INFLUENCED BY BANDS OF THAT TIME BUT THOSE ARE NEVER REALLY FULLY JUST GENUINELY CLASSIC ROCK.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT OF COURSE, BANDS HAVE THEIR OWN TWIST ON THINGS AND A YOUNGER GENERATION IS INFLUENCED BY DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC AS WELL HOWEVER IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO HAVE A BAND LIKE THESE GUYS DO IT BECAUSE IT COMES FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE.
THIS IS COMPLETELY NAILED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TELL THESE GUYS LOVED DOING AND HOPEFULLY KEEP MAKING SONGS IN THIS FASHION.
I MEAN THIS WAS A GREAT RECORD AND FOR ANYONE THAT'S A REAL FAN OF CLASSIC ROCK OR VINTAGE SONGWRITING STYLES THAT HAVE THAT NOSTALGIC AND WELCOMING FEEL, THEN BREAKTIME IS CERTAINLY FOR YOU.
PLUS, THESE SONGS HAVE TONS OF CATCHY HOOKS AND CHORUSES THAT YOU END UP SINGING ALONG TO IN YOUR HEAD LATER ON IN THE DAY.
DEFINITELY JUMP INTO THIS ONE AND GIVE IT A WHIRL BECAUSE IT'S WORTH YOUR TIME FOR SURE.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT BUZZ SLAYERS HERE.
CONVERSATION WITH BREAKTIME
Hanna | Bored City | 02/02/2023
Q: HEY, CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT WHERE YOU COME FROM, AND WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START A CAREER IN MUSIC?
A: BREAKTIME IS A BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY INDIE-POP FOUR-PIECE WRITING MODERN POP TUNES WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE ALLUSIONS TO ARTISTS SUCH AS THE BEATLES, THE BEACH BOYS, AND TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS. THE GROUP STARTED IN 2018 AS A RAGTAG FIVE-PIECE
STANDARD-ISSUE JERSEY CLASSIC ROCK COVER BAND. WE WENT THROUGH MANY DEBILITATING LINEUP CHANGES AS I ENLISTED HIGH SCHOOL COLLEAGUES WHO WENT ABOUT BAND OPERATIONS IN AN UNPROFESSIONAL MANNER AND DID NOT WANT TO COMMIT LONG-TERM. I COMPILED ORIGINAL
WORKS THROUGHOUT THIS DISORIENTING PERIOD AND DECIDED WITH OUR LEAD GUITARIST, THOMMY DELANEY, TO RELEASE THE TUNE “ROCK N’ ROLL REFUGEE” IN JULY 2021 WITH BREAKTIME BEING A STUDIO DUO, ENLIST PART-TIME PLAYERS TO PLAY LIVE AND BUILD SOME DEGREE OF MOMENTUM
FROM THE ROCK BOTTOM WE HAD EXPERIENCED, AND LEVERAGE THAT MOMENTUM FOR THE COMMITTED PLAYERS WE WANTED. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO RECRUIT DOUGLAS LUPO ON RHYTHM GUITAR IN SEPTEMBER 2021 AND PETER ROEFARO ON DRUMS IN JANUARY 2022. AFTER SO MUCH TIME WITH AMATEURS KEEPING THE GROUP FROM PROSPERING, THE PAST YEAR TURNED OUT TO BE OUR FIRST FULL YEAR WITH “REAL” PAID GIGS AND CULMINATED IN OUR DEBUT EP RELEASE ENTITLED GREAT TIMES ON DECEMBER 16 TH .
SINCE INFANCY, I GREW UP WITH AN ALMOST-EXCLUSIVELY-BEATLES LISTENING PALETTE WITH INTERMITTENT CAMEOS FROM WCBSFM 101.1. NOTHING HAS EVER AFFECTED ME AS MUCH AS THE BEATLES’ ORIGINAL OUTPUT; AND, BEING EXPOSED TO THE BREADTH OF MUSICIANS AND EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHOM THE BEATLES CULTURALLY IMPACTED, I FELT INSPIRED TO BECOME A MASTER SONG CRAFTSMAN USING MY CREATIONS TO ENGENDER HAPPINESS. THOMMY HAD A SIMILAR UPBRINGING FEATURING SUCH SEMINAL ARTISTS AS THE BEATLES, THE MONKEES, BRIAN SETZER, AND ELTON JOHN. UPON PLAYING “GUITAR HERO 3” AND “ROCK BAND,” HE WANTED TO CONTINUE THE ENJOYMENT AND PERFORM ON A REAL INSTRUMENT. AFTER OBSERVING MY SONGWRITING, THOMMY “GOT THE ITCH” TO WRITE AND CONTRIBUTE TO BREAKTIME’S ORIGINAL OUTPUT. DOUGLAS STARTED HIS MUSIC CAREER IN THE LOCAL MUSICAL CIRCUIT. HE SOON OUTGREW IT,
FOR HE DESIRED TO LEARN THE SKILLS TO PLAY IN A BAND AND (NOT UNLIKE THE ARTISTS HE HEARD ON THE RADIO) SHARE HIS ORIGINAL WORK WITH THE WORLD. FINALLY, MICHAEL JACKSON’S DYNAMIC PERFORMANCES ENTRANCED PETER AND CAUSED HIM TO CREATE NEAR-PERFECT DANCE RENDITIONS OF ANY VIDEOS HE COULD FIND ON MTV CLIPS. FROM THERE, PETER DRIFTED FROM PIANO TO GUITAR AND FOUND PASSION IN DRUMMING. HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO LEARN AND GROW AS A PERSON THROUGH HIS EXPERIENCES AS A MUSICIAN.
Q: DID YOU HAVE ANY FORMAL TRAINING, OR ARE YOU SELF-TAUGHT?
A: WE HAVE ALL HAD SOME DEGREE OF FORMAL MUSIC TRAINING IN OUR ACADEMIC CAREERS. I HAVE CLASSICAL TRAINING IN PIANO PERFORMANCE (THOUGH I HAVE NOT PERFORMED CLASSICAL MUSIC SINCE A COLLEGE-MANDATED JURY AND MUCH PREFER CLASSIC ROCK OR GOSPEL PIANO) AND THE VIOLIN WHILE I TRAINED MYSELF ON THE BASS GUITAR AND (PASSABLY) DRUM KIT. THOMMY AND DOUG ACQUIRED SOME CLASSICAL GUITAR TRAINING IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF THE LEGENDARY VIN DOWNES WHILE THEY TRAINED THEMSELVES IN PIANO FUNDAMENTALS. PETER CONTINUALLY TRAINS IN JAZZ PERFORMANCE ON THE DRUM KIT AND, LIKE THOMMY AND DOUG, IS WORKING ON HIS PIANO CHOPS.
Q: WHO WERE YOUR FIRST AND STRONGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCES, AND WHY THE NAME ‘BREAKTIME’?
A: MY FIRST AND MOST-SUSTAINING MUSICAL INFLUENCES ARE THE BEATLES AND THE BEACH BOYS. IT IS AN INSTINCT OF MINE TO WRITE MATERIAL AT THE LEVEL OF/GREATER THAN THE BEATLES’S SONGCRAFT AND CONSTRUCT HARMONIES AS EMOTIONALLY-AFFECTING AS THOSE OF THE BEACH BOYS. BRIAN SETZER AND ADAM SCHLESINGER ARE MAJOR INFLUENCES FOR THOMMY AS THEY PERSONIFY A MINDSET OF CREATIVE VERSATILITY. DOUG SIMILARLY ENJOYS A VINTAGE SOUND AND GENRE-HOPPING; THUS, THE BLACK KEYS’ MODERNIZATION OF A ROLLING STONES-ESQUE SONIC PROFILE AND DR. DOG’S FOLK-TO-LOFI BREADTH GREATLY AFFECT HIM. PETER APPRECIATES THE TRADITION SET BY JAZZ GREATS IN THE BILL EVANS TRIO AND THE OPPOSITE AND UNCONVENTIONAL FORCE FROM THE POLICE’S STING.
MY UNCLE AND HIS FRIEND ORIGINATED “BREAKTIME.” THEY DISCUSSED BAND NAMES OVER DRINKS AT A LOCAL BAYONNE BAR CALLED THE STARTING POINT; SOON, THEY ARRIVED AT “BREAKTIME,” TO WHICH THE FRIEND REMARKED, “YOU KNOW…EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD BREAKTIME.” MY UNCLE STILL THINKS THE NAME IS STUPID; THOUGH, HE’S OBVIOUSLY WRONG!
Q: YOU HAVE JUST RELEASED YOUR NEW ALBUM, ‘GREAT TIMES’. IS THERE A STORY BEHIND IT?
A: GREAT TIMES CAME ABOUT FROM OUR SLOGAN “BREAKTIME’S A GREAT TIME!” BACK IN THE TUMULTUOUS TIMES (ALSO KNOWN AS PRE-DOUG-AND-PETER), WE GUESTED ON A CLOSE FRIEND’S LIVE INTERVIEW SHOW TO DISCUSS VARIOUS MUSIC-RELATED SUBJECTS. NEAR THE END OF ONE SUCH GUEST APPEARANCE, I UTTERED THE PHRASE, “BREAKTIME’S A GREAT TIME,” IN ALL ITS CHEEKY GLORY. AN ORIGINAL INSIDE JOKE, IT’S NOW OUR OFFICIAL SLOGAN AND SOMETHING I BELIEVED AN OBVIOUS CONTENDER FOR THE ALBUM’S TITLE.
THE EP FEATURES EIGHT SONGS WE CREATED FROM AUGUST 2021 TO JANUARY 2022. AS IT FREQUENTLY GENRE HOPS, I DUBBED IT AN ED SULLIVAN SHOW FOR THE EARS. YOU CAN FIND HARD ROCK IN “MASTERMIND,” POP IN “MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES,” SURF ROCK IN “GOOD TO YOU,” AND ROCKABILLY/ROCK ‘N’ ROLL IN THE CLOSING TRACK “CATCH A RIDE, 425.” IF YOU LIKE JAZZ, WE EVEN HAVE THAT IN “JAM SAUCE.” WE ORIGINALLY HAD DESIGNS ON RELEASING GREAT TIMES AS A SUMMER FOLLOW-UP TO OUR JANUARY 2022 “MASTERMIND” SINGLE RELEASE; HOWEVER, VOCAL ISSUES AND RECORDING QUALITY CONCERNS PREVENTED US FROM SHARING THIS BRIGHT AND SUMMERY WORK UNTIL THE COLD WINTER IN DECEMBER. IT NOW PROVIDES AN UPLIFTING FORCE FOR A TYPICALLY DREARY SEASON.
Q: WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF YOUR MUSIC?
A: BREAKTIME SEEKS TO CREATE SIMPLE, NON-PREACHY ORIGINAL MUSIC BRIDGING THE GAP FROM THE LONG-LOVED SONGS OF THE 1960S AND 70S TO TODAY’S MODERN AUDIENCES. IF YOU’RE BORED WITH THE STATUS QUO IN POP MUSIC AND APPRECIATE ARTISTS WHO SOLELY DESIRE TO BRING A
SMILE TO YOUR FACE, WE LOVINGLY WELCOME YOU INTO OUR FAMILY.
Q: WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS IN YOUR MUSIC THAT SHOULD RESONATE WITH LISTENERS, AND HOW WOULD YOU PERSONALLY DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?
A: HUMMABLE MELODIES, DRAMATIC CHORD PROGRESSIONS, AND A LOVEABLE YOUTHFUL ENERGY ARE OUR MOST RESONANT QUALITIES EXPRESSED THROUGH OUR MUSIC. THE “BREAKTIME SOUND” IS A MODERN VINTAGE SONIC CELEBRATION OF YOUTHFUL CRAFT. IT’S THE MUSIC YOU WISH THE RADIO PLAYED INSTEAD OF THE COOKIE-CUTTER MATERIAL SONGWRITING TEAMS CHURN OUT!
Q: DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR MUSIC IS GIVING YOU BACK JUST AS MUCH FULFILLMENT AS THE AMOUNT OF WORK YOU ARE PUTTING INTO IT, OR ARE YOU EXPECTING SOMETHING MORE?
A: WE TRUTHFULLY EXPERIENCE MOMENTS OF DOUBT AND BURNOUT; HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THESE EMOTIONS ARE INHERENTLY OF THE ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE. THEY CHALLENGE US TO PUSH FURTHER THAN WE DID BEFORE AND GROW AS BOTH ARTISTS AND PEOPLE. WE EXPECT THE WORLD OF OURSELVES AND PRIORITIZE RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR CRAFT; THEREFORE, WE WILL ALWAYS EXPECT MORE. IF WE DIDN’T, WHAT WOULD BE NEXT TO DO?
Q: COULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESSES? HOW DO USUALLY START, AND GO ABOUT SHAPING IDEAS INTO A COMPLETED SONG?
A: MY PROCESS IS FLEXIBLE AND DYNAMIC. I SOMETIMES CONSTRUCT SONGS FROM A MELODIC IDEA; MEANWHILE, I HEAR OR READ A PHRASE AND CREATE A SONG LYRICS-FIRST. WHEN THE MELODY IS FIRST, I FOLLOW WITH THE CHORD PROGRESSION ON MY PIANO AND JOT LYRICS DOWN TO AID IN PITCH RECALL. WHEN THE LYRICS ARE FIRST, I DERIVE MELODIC CONTOUR AND RHYTHM FROM THEM AND ASCERTAIN CHORDS LAST. I’M VERY INDEPENDENT IN MY SONGWRITING AS I HAVE A STRONG MUSIC THEORY KNOWLEDGE BASE AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WRITING ALONE; SO, I TYPICALLY BRING COMPLETE SONGS WITH ARRANGEMENT IDEAS TO THE BAND IN OUR STUDIO: BT STUDIO ONE. I CALL MYSELF HEAD SONGWRITER AND I BACK IT UP. HAHA!
THOMMY’S PROCESS IS TYPICALLY GROUNDED IN CHORD PROGRESSIONS. HE ATTEMPTS TO FIND MELODY IN THE CHORD MOVEMENT AND RENDERS LYRICS LAST. GUITAR SOLOS ARRIVE FROM THOMMY’S MIX-AND-MATCH APPROACH REGARDING SCALES. BRIAN SETZER’S INFLUENCE COMPELLED THOMMY TO CONTINUALLY LEARN HIGHER LEVELS OF MUSIC THEORY SO HE COULD CREATE UNIQUE AND EMOTIVE LEADS FOR OUR SONGS.
DOUG IS ABOUT EXPERIMENTATION. LIKE MY PROCESS, HE CAN START ANYWHERE AS LONG AS HE ARRIVES AT A SONG RICH IN RELATABLE LYRICAL CONTENT.
PETER BEGINS BY ASSIGNING DRUM THEMES TO EACH SECTION OF THE MUSICAL FORM; THEN, HE ARRANGES THE CHORDS ACCORDING TO RHYTHMIC CUES. HIS JAZZ EDUCATION GUIDES HIM TO ATYPICAL SONGWRITING CHOICES WHEN HE PULLS FROM SUCH GENRES AS LATIN, FUNK, HIP HOP, AND REGGAE. DRUM SOLOS ARE LIKE A CRESCENDO AS HE WORKS AROUND THE KIT AND UTILIZES SUCH TECHNIQUES AS LOOSENING THE SNARE WIRES AND PITCH-BENDING ON THE TOMS.
Q: WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT THING YOU’VE HAD TO ENDURE IN YOUR LIFE OR MUSIC CAREER SO FAR?
A: BREAKTIME’S FIRST YEARS WERE THE MOST DIFFICULT THING I HAVE HAD TO ENDURE IN MY MUSIC CAREER AND LIFE. I USED TO FREELY GRANT ANYONE MY TRUST AS SOON AS THEY EXPRESSED THEY WOULD JOIN THE BAND, OPENING MYSELF UP TO CRIPPLING REJECTION WHEN MUSICIAN AFTER MUSICIAN CAME AND WENT. WITHIN THAT TIME PERIOD, I PUT TOO MUCH SIGNIFICANCE INTO SOME BANDMEMBERS AS I BELIEVED I COULD NOT ATTAIN PROGRESS OR SUCCESS WITHOUT THEM. I HAD LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND DID NOT REALIZE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BREAKTIME’S ASCENT RESTED ON ME OUTLASTING THE AMATEUR PLAYERS I PUT MY FAITH IN AND BEING MATURE ENOUGH TO KNOW WHEN SOMEONE WASN’T MEANT FOR THE POSITION/COULDN’T LIVE UP TO WHAT THEIR BANDMATES WOULD ASK OF THEM.
Q: ON THE CONTRARY, WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER A SUCCESSFUL, PROUD OR SIGNIFICANT POINT IN YOUR LIFE OR MUSIC CAREER SO FAR?
A: BREAKTIME’S JANUARY 2022 “MASTERMIND” RELEASE WAS MY FIRST PROUD MOMENT FOR THE BAND. PETER HAD BEEN WITH US FOR NO MORE THAN TWO WEEKS. WE RECORDED THE TRACK IN ABOUT 4-6 TAKES AND YOU CAN HEAR THE POSITIVE ANXIETY IN THE RESULT! ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, WE PLAYED A MARCH ORIGINALS-AND-COVERS SHOW AT A BAYONNE BAR CALLED BUTTERO AND PEOPLE PACKED THE HALL FOR OUR FIRST SHOW WITH THE NEW LINEUP. IT WAS STUNNING AS I DID NOT REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE LEARNED ABOUT US FROM OUR LAST SHOW (ALSO AT BUTTERO ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2021) TO THAT “NEW LINEUP DEBUT” SHOW. WE FELT THE HOMETOWN LOVE! OUR JULY 2 ND HEADLINING SHOW AT THE CROSSROADS IN GARWOOD CEMENTED BREAKTIME’S MOVING ONWARD FROM THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS WE ENDURED PRIOR.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL INTERVIEW AT BORED CITY HERE.
ALBUM: BREAKTIME - GREAT TIMES
Hanna | Bored City | 02/02/2023
FOUNDED IN 2018 TO KEEP THE YOUTHFUL ENERGY OF BELOVED CLASSIC ROCK TUNES ALIVE, BREAKTIME DEVELOPED FROM A STANDARD-ISSUE JERSEY COVER BAND INTO ITS OWN SONGWRITING COLLECTIVE. THE BAND LANDED ON OUR RADAR RECENTLY WITH THEIR NEW ALBUM, “GREAT TIMES,” AND WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU. WITH THIS ALBUM, THE BAND OFFERS AN IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION OF SONGS THAT WILL LEAVE YOU STUCK ON CONSTANT REPEAT FOR A LONG TIME. THE ALBUM IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FROM START TO FINISH AND SHOWCASES THIS BAND’S UNIQUE SOUND THAT PUTS THEM IN A LANE OF THEIR OWN.
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THIS PROJECT IS DIFFERENT AND HAS MOVED US BEYOND WORDS. IT ALWAYS AMAZES US HOW POWERFUL MUSIC CAN BE AND THIS ALBUM ILLUSTRATES THIS JUST PERFECTLY. THE VOCALIST HAS ONE OF THE RICHEST VOICES WE’VE EVER HEARD AND HIS PERFORMANCES ON THESE TRACKS ARE IMPRESSIVE. THE INSTRUMENTALS ARE ENJOYABLE AND THE LYRICS ARE ORIGINAL, WELL-WRITTEN AND MESH PERFECTLY WITH THE VOCAL MELODIES. THIS BAND HAS AMAZING TALENT WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING AND PERFORMING SONGS. THE ATMOSPHERE OF THIS ALBUM IS UNIQUE AND YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF SINGING THE CHORUSES OUT LOUD BY THE NEXT MORNING. THE PRODUCTION IS POLISHED AND THE ENERGY BEHIND THIS ALBUM IS INCREDIBLE. THIS BAND DELIVERS AN IMPRESSIVE STYLE OF MUSIC, REFLECTIVE OF THEIR CREATIVE SOUND AND DIVERSE ART FORM. THEIR SKILLS ARE OUTSTANDING AND THEIR MUSIC IS POWERFUL AND DESERVES MORE ATTENTION.
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IN SUMMARY, THIS ALBUM IS ONE OF THE MORE PROMISING PROJECTS WE’VE HEARD IN A WHILE. AND WE THINK IT’S SAFE TO SAY BREAKTIME IS SETTING ITSELF UP FOR SOMETHING TRULY AMAZING. GO AHEAD AND CHECK OUT THE ALBUM FOR YOURSELF AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW BREAKTIME ONLINE TO STAY UP TO DATE ON ANY UPCOMING RELEASES!
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DO YOU THINK ROCK N’ ROLL IS LIMITED BY GENERATION? SEAN, THOMMY, DOUG, AND PETER (IN PICTURE ORDER) OF BREAKTIME CHAMPION AN UPBEAT, OPTIMISTIC POP ROCK SONGWRITING STYLE WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE TOUCHES CULMINATING IN A SONIC CELEBRATION FROM THEIR MINDS TO YOUR EARS.
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FOUNDED IN 2018 TO KEEP THE YOUTHFUL ENERGY OF BELOVED CLASSIC ROCK TUNES ALIVE, BREAKTIME DEVELOPED FROM A STANDARD-ISSUE JERSEY COVER BAND INTO ITS OWN SONGWRITING COLLECTIVE. A COMMON OCCURRENCE AT BREAKTIME’S SHOWS: NEW LISTENERS APPROACH THEM AND EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR THEIR SONGS WRITTEN IN THE CLASSIC VEIN! FANS (A.K.A. “OUR SPUDS”) ROCKETED BREAKTIME’S DEBUT “ROCK N’ ROLL REFUGEE” AND LATEST SINGLE “MASTERMIND” TO OVER 5,000 STREAMS EACH. WHEN NOT WRITING AND RECORDING NEW MATERIAL AT BT STUDIO ONE, YOU CAN FIND BREAKTIME PERFORMING THE ODD COVER SHOW OR GIGGING WITH LOCAL ORIGINAL ACTS IN THE NY-NJ AREA.
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FOR BOOKINGS, PLEASE CONTACT BREAKTIME THROUGH THE “CONTACT US” PAGE ON THEIR WEBSITE OR E-MAIL BOOKING@BREAKTIMELIVENJ.COM.
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“BREAKTIME’S A GREAT TIME!”
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT BORED CITY HERE.
BREAKTIME DEBUT EP OUT NOW
Andris J. | SLR Magazine | 02/04/2023
INDIE POP BAND BREAKTIME FROM BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY: A FOUR-PIECE WRITING MODERN POP TUNES WITH GENEROUS VINTAGE ALLUSIONS TO ARTISTS SUCH AS THE BEATLES, THE BEACH BOYS, AND TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS, RECENTLY RELEASED DEBUT EP ENTITLED GREAT TIMES ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, 2022 ALONGSIDE THE SINGLE “MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES.” THE SINGLE FEATURES A JANGLY TWELVE-STRING GUITAR AND WALKING BASSLINE TO POWER THE BEATLE-ESQUE TOUR-DE-FORCE ALONG.
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THERE IS ONE MORE SINGLE CALLED “GOOD TO YOU” AND YOU CAN VIEW IT BELOW:
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CHECK THEIR LATEST RELEASE ON SPOTIFY:
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT SLR MAGAZINE HERE.
BREAKTIME "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES"
Adam Morgan | Surviving The Golden Age | 01/26/23
NEW JERSEY QUARTET, BREAKTIME RELEASED THEIR DEBUT EP, GREAT TIMES AT THE TAIL END OF 2022. THE LEAD SINGLE FROM THE ALBUM WAS “MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES.” THE TRACK IS DEFINED BY THE ELECTRIC 12-STRING GUITAR AND SUNNY VOCAL HARMONIES. IT IS REMINISCENT OF JANGLE POP FOREFATHERS LIKE BIG STAR OR THE BYRDS.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL FEATURE AT HYPEMACHINE-LISTED SURVIVING THE GOLDEN AGE HERE.
INTRODUCING BREAKTIME
BMN Staff | Blood Makes Noise | 01/17/23
Q: HOW DID THE BAND FORM AND WHAT DOES THE BAND NAME MEAN?
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SEAN: I FOUNDED BREAKTIME AS A HASTILY-ASSEMBLED FIVE-PIECE IN MY JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, MAY 2018. IT WAS DONE SO HASTILY BECAUSE, UPON LEARNING A LOCAL TALENT BOOKER SOUGHT ACTS FOR A FAIRLY BIG CARNIVAL IN MY HOMETOWN, I PITCHED A BAND I DID NOT HAVE AND (AN ARROGANT TEENAGER I WAS) BET ON MYSELF TO GET A THEN-COVER ACT ONSTAGE WITHIN TWO WEEKS' TIME. MY UNCLE AND A FRIEND SPAWNED THE NAME "BREAKTIME" OVER DRINKS AT A LOCAL BAR CALLED THE STARTING POINT, THE FRIEND COMMENTING, "YOU KNOW...EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD BREAKTIME." THOUGH MY UNCLE BELIEVED IT WAS SILLY, I WENT WITH "BREAKTIME" AND IT STUCK! THOUGH WE SHOWED HOW GREEN WE WERE, I DID GET BREAKTIME ONSTAGE AT THAT CARNIVAL. HUZZAH! BREAKTIME FOLDED IN JULY 2018, HOWEVER, AND UNDERWENT FREQUENT LINEUP CHANGES. THE HIGH SCHOOL COLLEAGUES I ENLISTED PROVED AMATEUR AND AVERSE TO LONG-TERM COMMITMENT WHILE I CRAVED CONSISTENCY TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS STRUCTURE. THOMMY DELANEY, OUR LEAD GUITARIST, JOINED IN MARCH 2019 AND REMAINED LOYAL WHILE OTHERS FALTERED FROM THE PANDEMIC. OBSERVING MY WRITING ABILITY AND BREADTH OF ORIGINALS I COMPILED SINCE 2018, WE SHIFTED TO ORIGINALS AND RELEASED OUR DEBUT SINGLE "ROCK N' ROLL REFUGEE" IN JULY 2021 WITH BREAKTIME BEING A STUDIO DUO. WE THEN GIGGED WITH A FEW PART-TIME PLAYERS AND RECRUITED DOUGLAS ON RHYTHM GUITAR IN SEPTEMBER 2021. ALMOST A YEAR TO THE DAY, PETER CAME TO DRUM FOR BREAKTIME IN JANUARY 2022. WE FINALLY HAD OUR FIRST FULL YEAR WITH "REAL" PAYING GIGS AND RELEASED OUR DEBUT EP GREAT TIMES ALONGSIDE THE SINGLE "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES" ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, 2022.
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Q: PREVIOUS MUSICAL PROJECTS? HOW'D YOU FIRST GET INTO MUSIC?
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SEAN: I USED TO PERFORM INSTRUMENTAL PIANO PIECES BEFORE BREAKTIME BECAME MY LIFESTYLE. MUSIC FROM THE BRITISH INVASION DOMINATED MY FORMATIVE CHILDHOOD YEARS. MY PARENTS RECALL MY KEEN OBSERVATION OF PAUL MCCARTNEY IN THE BEATLES'S "HELLO GOODBYE" MUSIC VIDEO WHEN I WAS BUT A TODDLER. I DID NOT FEEL CONFIDENT I COULD PLAY THE GUITAR OR BASS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER; SO, I GRAVITATED TO THE LIGHT-UP KEYS ON A 1999 CASIO KEYBOARD MY MOM BOUGHT FOR MY DAD. MY DAD SOON PUSHED ME TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS AND I OBLIGED; ALTHOUGH, I DETESTED LEARNING CLASSICAL MUSIC. MY TEACHER ADAPTED, ARRANGING BEATLES SONGS ON PIANO FOR ME. SHE CULTIVATED MY MUSICAL ABILITIES AND LOVE FOR THE ART, EQUIPPING ME FOR CONTINUED TRAINING IN HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY. I FIRST HAD TROUBLE FINDING BASSISTS FOR BREAKTIME; SO, I DECIDED I COULD DO IT IN 2018 AND TRUST THE PERSON IN THAT POSITION WOULD NOT QUIT AND KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
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THOMMY: I SAT IN ON A FEW PERFORMANCES WITH A LOCAL ROCKABILLY GROUP PRIOR TO BREAKTIME. THE BEATLES, THE MONKEES, ELTON JOHN, AND BRIAN SETZER CURATED MY CHILDHOOD PLAYLIST. I BECAME INTERESTED IN THE GUITAR AFTER I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED "GUITAR HERO 3" AND "ROCK BAND." SIMILAR TO SEAN, I MASTERED TUNES FROM THE BEATLES'S CATALOG AND DECIDED IT WAS A CAREER PATH I LIKED.
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DOUGLAS: I RELEASED SOME PROJECTS UNDER THE NAME LOOP PRIOR TO MY MEMBERSHIP IN BREAKTIME (AND STILL CONTINUE TO DO ON OCCASION); HOWEVER, I DIDN'T REALLY GIG BEFORE THIS. MY JOURNEY IN MUSIC STARTED WHEN I WAS A KID PERFORMING IN LOCAL MUSICALS. I PICKED THE GUITAR UP IN HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH A MIX OF PLAYING BY EAR AND GUITAR LESSONS FROM THE LEGENDARY VIN DOWNES. DOWNES'S CONSTANT ENCOURAGEMENT INSPIRED ME TO WRITE, PERFORM, AND RECORD MY ORIGINAL MUSIC.
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PETER: I COLLABORATED WITH AN INDIE ARTIST IN BROOKLYN STUDIO WORK PRE-BREAKTIME. MICHAEL JACKSON'S PERFORMANCES FIRST ENTRANCED ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD. DANCING FIRST, I FAITHFULLY COPIED MJ'S MOVES FROM THE TV SCREEN UNTIL I HAD A PERFECT RE-ENACTMENT. THE PIANO AND GUITAR FIRST LURED ME TO INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC; BUT, THE DRUMS HOOKED ME.
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Q: FIRST CONCERT THAT YOU EVER WENT TO?
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SEAN: DAVID CASSIDY GAVE ME MY FIRST CONCERT EXPERIENCE; SINCE I MAY HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP (NO OFFENSE DIRECTED AT HIM AS I WAS EXTREMELY YOUNG), I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH OF IT! WITH SOME TIME GOING INTO MY TEEN YEARS, I WENT TO SEE BILLY JOEL DURING HIS STILL-RUNNING-STRONG MADISON SQUARE GARDEN RESIDENCY. THE MIX'S CLEAR FIDELITY--IN A TRULY UNIQUE SPACE AS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN--AND JOEL'S MOTORIZED PIANO PLATFORM IMPRESSED ME.
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THOMMY: MY FIRST CONCERT EXPERIENCE WAS WITH ELTON JOHN. I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH OF THE CONCERT SINCE I WAS YOUNGER THEN; BUT WHEN I GOT OLDER, I FELL IN LOVE WITH ELTON'S MUSIC. IT TRULY BEGAN TO INSPIRE ME NOW THAT I'M A MUSICIAN TOO.
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DOUGLAS: I'LL NEVER FORGET IT. MY DAD IS A HUGE FAN OF THE COUNTRY BAND SUGARLAND; SO, WHEN I WAS AROUND 7 YEARS OLD, HE TOOK MY FAMILY TO ONE OF THEIR SHOWS. I REMEMBER WHEN THEY FIRST TOOK THE STAGE, THE BASS'S LOUDNESS CAUSED ME TO PANIC TO MY DAD HOW MY CHEST WAS GOING TO EXPLODE! I CALMED DOWN AFTER THAT INITIAL SHOCK AND THE CONCERT TURNED OUT TO BE PRETTY AWESOME. WE STILL ALWAYS JOKE ABOUT THAT.
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PETER: I HAD MY FIRST CONCERT EXPERIENCE WITH THE AVETT BROTHERS. FUNNILY ENOUGH, I HAD NEVER HEARD THEIR MUSIC BEFORE; THOUGH, I WAS HAPPY WITNESSING ALL THE PEOPLE EITHER JUST HAPPY OR DRUNK LISTENING TO THE GROUP. I WAS 13 AND THE AVETT BROTHERS' PERFORMANCE EXCITED ME. AS WE WERE LEAVING--A MEMORY I WILL NEVER FORGET--SOME GUY WHO LOOKED LIKE MY OLDER DOPPELGANGER OFFERED ME A BLUNT. I RAN TO HIM AND MY DAD PULLED ME AWAY, GIVING ME THE WILDEST LOOK.
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Q: WHAT'S YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE?
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SEAN: I'M VERY FLEXIBLE IN MY WRITING PROCESS. SOMETIMES, I START WITH A MELODIC IDEA AND CONSTRUCT A SONG MELODY-FIRST; MEANWHILE, I SOMETIMES HEAR OR READ A PHRASE, FIND IT POETIC, AND RENDER A LYRICAL FORM INSTRUCTING MELODIC STRUCTURE AND CHORDAL RHYTHM.
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THOMMY: I TYPICALLY START WITH A CHORD PROGRESSION. AFTER I HAVE A FOUNDATION FOR THE SONG'S TONE, I WORK THE MELODY OUT. LYRICS TAKE THE LONGEST FOR ME AND COME LAST. REGARDING GUITAR SOLOS, I MIX AND MATCH SCALES UNTIL I ARRIVE AT A PERFECT, MAGICAL LEAD.
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DOUGLAS: I DON'T REALLY HAVE A GO-TO PROCESS FOR SONGWRITING. I TRY TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES LIKE THINKING OF A CERTAIN PHRASE OR WORDS I READ SOMEWHERE, OR COMING UP WITH A CHORD PROGRESSION THAT HAS SOMETHING UNIQUE TO IT. I STRONGLY LEAN ON THE LYRICAL SIDE OF MY SONGS AND ATTEMPT TO CREATE ENTHRALLING, RELATABLE STORIES.
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PETER: MY PERSONAL FORM BEGINS ON THE DRUMS. I ASSIGN PERCUSSIVE THEMES TO EACH SECTION I DEVELOP AND BUILD THE CHORD PROGRESSION FROM THERE. JAZZ EDUCATION DICTATES MY ARRANGEMENT CHOICES SINCE I LIKE TO PICK FROM AN ATYPICAL GENRE ARRAY (LIKE LATIN, FUNK, REGGAE, AND HIP HOP). I MAKE DRUM SOLOS IN THE FORM OF A CRESCENDO AND UTILIZE TECHNIQUES LIKE PITCH-BENDING ON THE TOMS AND LOOSENING THE SNARE WIRES.
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Q: WHAT OTHER ARTISTS OR SONGS INSPIRE YOUR MUSIC?
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SEAN: MY MELODIC INSTINCTS AND CHORD PROGRESSION CONSTRUCTION ARE HEAVILY DICTATED BY MY FANDOM FOR THE BEATLES; MEANWHILE, I ASPIRE FOR THE BEACH BOYS' AURA WHEN I CONSTRUCT BREAKTIME'S HARMONIES. THE LYRICAL AIM IS LIGHT-HEARTED AND FUN LIKE ELVIS PRESLEY'S EARLY CATALOG. I CHANNEL THE ROLLING STONES IN HARDER MATERIAL.
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THOMMY: TWO OTHER ARTISTS THAT HAVE REALLY INSPIRED MY MUSIC ARE BRIAN SETZER AND ADAM SCHLESINGER. FROM THE STRAY CATS TO THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA, SETZER'S MUSIC STILL FASCINATES ME AND OPENED MY MIND TO OTHER GENRES OF MUSIC SUCH AS ROCKABILLY, BIG BAND JAZZ, SWING, AND MUCH MORE. EVEN THOUGH HE'S KNOWN FOR WRITING THE FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE HIT "STACY'S MOM," I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM AS THE GUY WHO WROTE "THAT THING YOU DO!" FROM THE MOVIE WITH THE SAME TITLE. THE TWO SONGS ARE VERY DIFFERENT IN SOUND WHICH MADE ME REALIZE SCHLESINGER CAN WRITE MORE THAN JUST MODERN-SOUNDING POP ROCK HITS. FROM HEARING "THAT THING YOU DO!", I WOUND UP WRITING MY FIRST ORIGINAL IN 2020.
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DOUGLAS: I FIND THE BLACK KEYS A MODERN VERSION OF THE ROLLING STONES AND ENJOY THEIR INDIE BLUES PRODUCTION. DR. DOG'S VERSATILITY TO GENRE HOP FROM FOLK TO PSYCHEDELIA AND LOFI-ROCK IS A SIMILAR QUALITY WE EMULATE IN OUR MUSIC.
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PETER: THE BILL EVANS TRIO AND STING GREATLY INSPIRE ME. I LOVE THE BILL EVANS TRIO--ESPECIALLY HIS EARLY STUFF WITH PAUL MOTIAN AND SCOTT LAFARO. THEIR ABILITY TO BE ONE HUGE UNIT DYNAMICALLY ADDING OT THE SOLO CONVERSATION PUSHES ME TO CREATE GREAT MUSIC. STING'S ABILITY TO MAKE ODD SONGWRITING CHOICES FEEL COMFORTABLE REMINDS ME HOW THERE EXISTS A VAST WEALTH OF POSSIBILITIES IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS AND, WITH FOCUS AND SKILL, NOTHING IS UNATTAINABLE.
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Q: WHAT'S THE LIVE EXPERIENCE LIKE AND YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON PLAYING LIVE? DO YOU THINK THE MUSIC LIVE SHOULD BE IDENTICAL TO THE RECORDED VERSION OR SHOULD IT BE ITS OWN THING?
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SEAN: LIVE MUSIC IS EXHILARATING. AS I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR OUR LIVE SHOWS, I CONSTRUCT THEM FROM A PERSPECTIVE GROUNDED IN QUALITY CONTROL; THEREFORE, I NORMALLY VEER ON THE SIDE OF PLAYING OUR MUSIC IDENTICAL TO THE RECORDED VERSION. IN SOME CASES, HOWEVER, WE FEEL THE TEMPTATION TO ARRANGE SPECIAL LIVE VERSIONS FOR SPONTANEITY. BE ON THE LOOKOUT! ANYTHING IS ON THE TABLE FOR THE FANS' ENTERTAINMENT.
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Q: HAS THE BAND TOURED? WHAT HAS THE TOURING EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE? BEST SHOWS/WORST SHOWS?
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DOUGLAS: AFTER OUR FIRST FULL YEAR GIGGING TOGETHER, I BELIEVE OUR JULY 2 HEADLINING SHOW AT THE CROSSROADS IN GARWOOD WAS OUR BEST SHOW OF THE YEAR AND A "WATERSHED MOMENT" FOR BREAKTIME. OUR WORST SHOW WASN'T TRULY BAD IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN IT TAKING A VILLAGE TO PUT IT TOGETHER. WE PERFORMED FOR OCTOBER 8'S CRANFORD PORCHFEST AND VOLUNTEERED OUR PA SYSTEM FOR THE EVENT. OUR PORCH'S LINEUP WAS FANTASTIC! AS WE DID NOT HAVE A LIVE SOUND ENGINEER ON-STAFF, HOWEVER, WE RAN THE BOARD FOR EVERYONE. THOUGH A BIT STRESSFUL, THE PRODUCTION WAS STELLAR AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD RECEIVED THE ACTS EXTREMELY WELL.
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Q: WHAT'S UP NEXT FOR THE BAND?
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SEAN: BREAKTIME PLANS ON A FOLLOW-UP DOUBLE SINGLE TBA IN FEBRUARY AND...LET'S KEEP IT HUSH-HUSH...A SUMMER 2023 EP. BREAKTIME 2023 SHOW DATES COMING SOON! FOLLOW US @BREAKTIMELIVENJ (YOU'LL FIND US ANYWHERE).
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SEE THE ORIGINAL INTERVIEW AT BLOOD MAKES NOISE HERE.
BINGENHEIMER SHOW PLAYS "MASTERMIND"
Rodney Bingenheimer | Underground Garage | 01/15/23 and 1/22/23
BREAKTIME - MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES
Amanda | Pretty White | 01/13/23
TODAY, PRETTY WHITE IS DISCOVERING QUITE AN EXCITING AND UNEXPECTED TRACK. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE AMAZING "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES" BY THE BREAKTIME BAND FROM THEIR NEW ALBUM GREAT TIMES. WITH THEIR UNIQUE AND STUNNING GUITAR PLAYING, WONDERFUL VOCAL PERFORMANCE, AND THRILLING RHYTHMS, BREAKTIME DEMONSTRATES THEIR LIMITLESS ORIGINALITY AND FORCE. FROM THE FIRST NOTES, "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES" WORKS PERFECTLY AND CARRIES YOU INTO AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE. THANKS TO THE FASCINATING AND MEMORABLE HOOKS, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME OTHER THAN FEELING WONDERFUL AND CONFIDENT.
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DEFINITELY, A TERRIFIC WAY TO ACCOMPANY YOUR DAY IS WITH THIS SONG. LET GO OF EVERYTHING AND DIVE INTO IT NOW.
SEE THE ORIGINAL REVIEW AT PRETTY WHITE HERE.
SHAUN ZIZI INTERVIEWS BREAKTIME
Shaun Zizi | Moosic Entertainment | 01/12/23
ROCK N' ROLL IS BACK! TAKE A BREAK FROM THE SOUNDS OF TODAY WITH BREAKTIME! BREAKTIME WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO THE PAST WITH GREAT TIMES!
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Q: WHAT'S UP WITH "BREAKTIME?" IS THERE A STORY TO THE NAME?
SEAN: THE NAME "BREAKTIME" COMES FROM MY UNCLE. BACK IN 2018, HE DISCUSSED BAND NAMES WITH HIS FRIEND AT A LOCAL BAR CALLED THE STARTING POINT. THEY JOKINGLY ARRIVED AT "BREAKTIME," TO WHICH HIS FRIEND REMARKED: "YOU KNOW...EVERYONE NEEDS A GOOD BREAKTIME." MY UNCLE MAINTAINS ITS BEING A STUPID NAME: HOWEVER, MY BANDMATES AND I DISAGREE.
Q: WOULD YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EARLY YEARS?
SEAN: BREAKTIME'S EARLY YEARS WERE TUMULTUOUS. I FOUNDED IT IN MAY 2018--MY JUNIOR YEAR AT HIGH TECH HIGH SCHOOL--AND ENLISTED A RAGTAG FIVE-PIECE TO PERFORM CLASSIC ROCK COVERS. THIS HAPPENED QUICKLY AS I PITCHED A BAND I DID NOT HAVE TO A BOOKER SEEKING LOCAL TALENT--YIKES. WE DID MAKE THE SHOW; HOWEVER, WE BOMBED. THE AMATEUR LINEUP FOLDED IN JULY. I FUTILELY RAN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL MATES UNTIL 2019. WITH OUR ORIGINAL DRUMMER AND HIS COLLEGE FRIEND, LEAD GUITARIST THOMMY DELANEY, WE RECRUITED A RHYTHM GUITARIST AND PLAYED THE LOCAL SCENE UNTIL 2020.
THE SLIGHTLY BETTER ACT LACKED COHESION FROM ONE HALF'S CHRONIC LATENESS AND ABSENTEEISM. WE DID NOT YET EARN A "REAL" PAID GIG. I FIRED OUR RHYTHM GUITARIST AND REPLACED HIM WITH A FRIEND OF THOMMY'S. HIS CHOPS FARED FOR EXCITING RENDITIONS AS HE COULD SOLO. THIS LINEUP NEVER GIGGED, FOR OUR DRUMMER QUIT UNDER TWO WEEKS TO A BOOKING. WE MADE THE GIG BY MY HIGH SCHOOL BEST FRIEND'S HEROIC EFFORTS. COVID STRUCK, REMOVING HALF THE BAND AND RATTLING CONFIDENCE SO THAT THOMMY NEARLY QUIT.
WE AGREED IN 2021 TO HAVE A COLLEGE FRIEND FILL IN ON KIT (THANKS MATT! @MATTLOUIEDRUMS ON IG) AND BROUGHT SEVERAL RHYTHM GUITARISTS ON THROUGHOUT. WE FELT WE COULD LEVERAGE THE MOMENTUM FOR MAINSTAY PIECES. SEEING MY ORIGINALS COMPILED SINCE 2018, THOMMY AND I RELEASED THE DEBUT SINGLE "ROCK N' ROLL REFUGEE" AND PERFORMED A COVERS-AND-ORIGINALS ROOFTOP SHOW IN JULY 2021, ENTICING DOUGLAS TO JOIN ON RHYTHM IN SEPTEMBER. AFTER MORE "EXPOSURE," WE EARNED A DECEMBER 2021 "REAL" GIG AT BUTTERO IN BAYONNE. PETER CAME TO DRUM WITH BREAKTIME IN JANUARY 2022. A LINEUP WITH YEARS OF ENDURANCE TO REALIZE, BREAKTIME HAD ITS FIRST FULL YEAR "REAL" GIGGING AND RELEASED THE DEBUT EP GREAT TIMES ALONGSIDE THE SINGLE "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES" ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16TH.
Q: TELL US ABOUT GREAT TIMES.
SEAN: GREAT TIMES IS BREAKTIME'S DEBUT EP. IT IS AN EIGHT-SONG COMPILATION OF ORIGINAL EFFORTS FROM THOMMY, DOUGLAS, AND ME. SINCE GREAT TIMES GENRE HOPS OFTEN, I CALL IT AN ED SULLIVAN SHOW FOR THE EARS--A SONIC VARIETY SHOW! WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED ON RELEASING GREAT TIMES TO FOLLOW UP OUR JANUARY 2022 HARD ROCK SINGLE "MASTERMIND" PRIOR TO SUMMER 2022; HOWEVER, THEN-PERSISTENT VOCAL ISSUES FROM ME, RECORDING TROUBLES, AND GIGGING PREVENTED US FROM RELEASING A QUALITY WORK UNTIL DECEMBER. MANY TELL US THE BEATLE-ESQUE JANGLE (HEARD ON "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES") AND BEACH BOYS SURF UNDERTONES (HEARD ON "GOOD TO YOU") WITHIN GREAT TIMES MAKE IT A SUMMER SMASH--AN ORIGINAL INTENT. MORE POETICALLY, IT NOW PROVIDES SOOTHING SUMMER WARMTH IN A COLD, DREARY WINTER. OUR MIX AND MASTER ENGINEER ROD SHEPARD (OF XANTHI MUSIC PRODUCTIONS IN HOBOKEN) DID FAB WORK ON THE EP TO MAKE IT SOUND AS IF IT SPRUNG OUT OF THE 1960S.
Q: ON THE SONGWRITING PROCESS: HOW DO YOUR SONGS COME TOGETHER?
SEAN: MY PROCESS IS DYNAMIC. I OCCASIONALLY RECEIVE MELODIC IDEAS, DEVELOP THE CHORD PROGRESSION ON MY PIANO ACCORDING TO MELODIC INSTINCT, AND SCRAWL SOME LYRICS TOGETHER TO AID PITCH RECALL. OTHER TIMES, UPON HEARING OR READING WORDS IN A PHRASE, I GET INSPIRATION TO CONSTRUCT A SONG PROSE-FIRST, RENDER MELODY FROM THE LYRICAL RHYTHM, AND FILL THE CHORDS IN LAST. WHAT IS TYPICAL FOR A "SEAN SONG" IS ITS SELF-CONTAINED CREATION. I HAVE A STRONG BASE IN MUSIC THEORY AND, FROM MY FOUR YEARS OF SONGWRITING ALONE, AM ACCUSTOMED TO BRINGING COMPLETE MATERIAL TO MY SPUDS FOR STUDIO ARRANGEMENT.
THOMMY: MY PROCESS FOR SONGWRITING IS A BIT DIFFERENT FROM SEAN'S OR DOUG'S. PROGRESSIONS WILL FREQUENTLY PRESENT THEMSELVES FIRST. I THEN GO OFF AND WORK OUT A MELODY. LYRICS COME LAST. MOST OF THE TIME, SONGS COME TO ME WHEN THE TIME FEELS RIGHT. WHEN WRITING LEAD GUITAR PARTS--ESPECIALLY GUITAR SOLOS--I ALWAYS PLAY AROUND WITH THE SCALES I HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH SINCE I BEGAN PLAYING GUITAR. IT SOMETIMES TAKES A WHILE TO GET THE PERFECT LEAD; HOWEVER, WHEN I PERFECT THEM, IT'S MAGIC. WITH CONTINUALLY LEARNING THEORY, I AM ABLE TO WRITE THE BEST FOR MY SPUDS.
DOUGLAS: I'M SOMEONE WHO REALLY DOESN'T HAVE A "FORMULA" FOR SONGWRITING. SOMETIMES I'M JUST STRUMMING CHORDS UNTIL I COME UP WITH A PROGRESSION I HAVEN'T HEARD A MILLION TIMES, SOMETIMES I HAVE A PHRASE I HEARD/READ SOMEWHERE THAT I REALLY LIKED IN MIND, AND SOMETIMES I MAKE UP A STORY AND GO FROM THERE. I REALLY LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE LYRICAL SIDE AND TRY TO EXPRESS AS MUCH ABSTRACT FEELING THROUGH MY WORDS. ON THE MUSICAL SIDE, I LOVE EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND RUNNING WITH AN IDEA EVEN IF IT'S NOT AS CONVENTIONAL. IN FACT, MY FAVORITE PART OF SONGWRITING IS TRYING TO REPACKAGE THE UNCONVENTIONAL INTO SOMETHING...CONVENTIONAL.
PETER: THE FORM STARTS ON THE KIT. A CHORD PROGRESSION FOLLOWS FROM THE RHYTHMIC FOUNDATION. I APPROACH THE SONG AS A STORY REACHING OUT FOR CONNECTION. THE DRUMS PROVIDE A PERCUSSIVE THEME TO EACH SECTION, WHETHER IT BE A TOM SECTION OR A SYNCOPATED BELL PATTERN. MY JAZZ EDUCATION HEAVILY INFORMS MY ARRANGEMENT CHOICES AS I PICK FROM A DIVERSIFIED RANGE OF GENRES (LIKE REGGAE, LATIN, FUNK, OR HIP HOP). FOR MY SOLOS (OF WHICH, I PREFER PROGRESSIVELY BUILDING TO A FEVER-PITCHED ENDING) I LOVE TO BUILD OFF OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES SUCH AS PITCH-BENDING ON THE TOMS AND LOOSENING THE SNARE WIRES. I LOVE DRUMS, SPUD!
Q: SPUD?
PETER: IN LITERAL TERMS, A SPUD IS A POTATO. IN BREAKTIME TERMS, A SPUD IS A FRIEND. INSTEAD OF SAYING "BUD," SEAN ADDED AN "S" TO THE BEGINNING AND TURNED THE "B" UPSIDE DOWN TO A "P." LO AND BEHOLD, WE'RE SPUDS NOW. I'M SPUD, YOU'RE SPUD...WE'RE ALL SPUD!
Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND?
SEAN: TAKE THREE PARTS BEATLES, ADD ONE PART TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS, AND ADD A SLICE OF BEACH BOYS. DRESS IT UP IN (FORMERLY DENIM VESTS BUT NOW...) HOUNDSTOOTH BLAZERS AND TURTLENECKS AND YOU GET BREAKTIME! OUR MELODIC AND SONG STRUCTURE TENDENCIES ARE HEAVILY BRITISH WHILE OUR PROPENSITIES TO HARMONIZE, ADD AUXILIARY--SOMETIMES "SOUL"--INSTRUMENTS, AND PRODUCE OUR RECORDINGS ARE AMERICAN. WE LIKE TO CALL IT A "MODERN VINTAGE SONIC CELEBRATION."
Q: OK THEN. WHAT'S THE LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO?
SEAN: IT'S FORTUITOUS; BUT, IT WAS OUR SINGLE "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES" OFF OF THE DEBUT EP GREAT TIMES!
THOMMY: IT WAS OUR SONG "CATCH A RIDE, 425" FROM OUR DEBUT EP GREAT TIMES. IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MY FAVORITE TRACK FROM THE RELEASE!
DOUGLAS: I LAST LISTENED TO "KALEIDOSCOPE EYES" BY LIZ COOPER & THE STAMPEDE. IT'S A DREAMY, ATMOSPHERIC TRACK THAT LIZ'S VOICE AND GUITAR WORK FLOAT ELEGANTLY OVER.
PETER: I WAS LISTENING TO "OLD DEVIL MOON" OFF THE SONNY ROLLINS RECORD A NIGHT AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD.
Q: WHAT LED YOU TO MUSIC, AND WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO KEEP MAKING IT?
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SEAN: MUSIC FROM ARTISTS SUCH AS THE BEATLES, THE BEACH BOYS, AND THE WIGGLES (HAHA!) SURROUNDED ME SINCE MY INFANCY. ONE OF MY FIRST MEMORIES IS DANCING TO THE BEATLES' "HELLO GOODBYE" AND INTENTLY WATCHING PAUL MCCARTNEY. I DID NOT FIND MYSELF CONFIDENT TO PLAY THE GUITAR OR BASS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER; SO, I GRAVITATED TO THE LIGHT-UP KEYS OF A 1999 CASIO KEYBOARD--ORIGINALLY PURCHASED FOR MY FATHER'S USE--AND BECAME INFATUATED WITH MUSIC THEREAFTER. A SONGWRITER NOW, THE RUSH OF CREATING SOMETHING FROM NOTHING CONTINUES TO MOTIVATE ME AS MUCH AS I FEEL THE SPIRITUAL UNDERCURRENT FROM IT.
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THOMMY: GROWING UP, I WOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO BANDS SUCH AS THE BEATLES, THE MONKEES, ELTON JOHN, AND BRIAN SETZER. AT ONE POINT, I WAS ONE OF MANY PEOPLE TO HAVE PLAYED THE GAMES "GUITAR HERO 3" AND "ROCK BAND." THIS EVENTUALLY GOT ME INTERESTED TO LEARN THE GUITAR. ONCE I LEARNED A FEW BEATLES SONGS, I FELL IN CLOSER LOVE WITH MUSIC AND DECIDED THAT I WANTED IT TO BE MY CAREER. LEARNING NEW TECHNIQUES AND METHODS TO WRITE MORE SONGS MOTIVATES ME TO KEEP CREATING.
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DOUGLAS: I REMEMBER BEING A KID AND MY PARENTS ALWAYS GUIDING ME TOWARDS MUSIC AS THEY COULD SENSE I HAD AN INTEREST FOR SINGING AND PLAYING ALONG TO MOSTLY ANYTHING PLAYING ON THE RADIO. THEY WOULD SIGN ME UP FOR OUR LOCAL MUSICALS WHERE I DEVELOPED MY LOVE FOR PERFORMING/SINGING, BUT I WOULD EVENTUALLY OUTGROW THAT MEDIUM. I REALIZED THAT I LOVED MORE OF WHAT I WAS HEARING ON THE RADIO AT THE TIME, AND I REALLY WANTED TO LEARN THE SKILLS NEEDED TO PLAY IN A BAND. WHEN I HIT HIGH SCHOOL, I STUMBLED MY WAY THROUGH LEARNING HOW TO PLAY THE GUITAR AND BASIC PIANO. I PAIRED THAT WITH LEARNING HOW TO RECORD AND EDIT ARRANGEMENTS ON GARAGEBAND, AND EVENTUALLY STARTED RELEASING SOME SOLO PROJECTS. THAT ANXIOUS, YET RELIEVING FEELING OF SHARING A BODY OF WORK WITH OTHERS IS WHAT DRIVES ME TO KEEP CREATING, AND THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN GETTING TO SHARE THAT FEELING WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN BAND.
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PETER: MUSIC HAS BEEN IN MY BONES SINCE I WAS A TODDLER. MY PARENTS STILL REMIND ME OF TIMES I WOULD BALANCE ON MY TIPPY TOES OVER TO THE TV, GO TO MTV CLIPS, AND DANCE TO THEM. ORIGINALLY, MICHAEL JACKSON'S DYNAMIC PERFORMANCES INSPIRED ME TO PURSUE DANCE. I WOULD LEARN AND TRANSCRIBE EACH MOVE UNTIL I HAD IT PERFECTED FROM THE TV SCREEN. THEN, I TRIED THE PIANO AND GUITAR; HOWEVER, MY REAL ENJOYMENT AND LOVE CAME WITH THE DRUMS. I TOLD MY FRIENDS I WANTED TO BE A DRUMMER AND DEDICATED SERIOUS TIME INTO THAT. AS A WRITER AND PRODUCER TODAY, A HUNGER TO LEARN AND GROW AS BOTH A HUMAN AND MUSICIAN KEEPS ME INSPIRED TO NURTURE MY CREATE. FOR ME, IT IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST BEING. IT IS A LIFESTYLE. I WANT ALL THE FRUITS IT BEARS AND, MORE SO, DESIRE TO SPREAD THE FRUITS TO OTHERS SO WE COLLECTIVELY FURTHER OUR LEARNING AND GROWTH.
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Q: WHO IS YOUR DREAM PRODUCER?
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SEAN: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH SIR GEORGE MARTIN. MAY HE REST IN PEACE. I FEEL HIS CLASSICAL BACKGROUND WOULD AUGMENT BREAKTIME'S ARRANGEMENTS AND HELP US ACHIEVE SONGWRITING HEIGHTS WE CAN ONLY ASPIRE TO AT OUR CURRENT LEVEL. JEFF LYNNE PRODUCED QUALITY WORK WITH IDOLS OF MINE LIKE GEORGE HARRISON, BRIAN WILSON, ROY ORBISON, AND TOM PETTY. I WOULD THOROUGHLY ENJOY ATTAINING KNOWLEDGE BY OSMOSIS WORKING WITH HIM.
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THOMMY: I TOO WOULD HAVE LOVED TO WORK WITH GEORGE MARTIN; BUT, THERE ARE MANY OTHER PRODUCERS WHO WORKED WITH MY IDOLS, LIKE: ROY THOMAS BAKER, PETER COLLINS, AND MIKE CAMPBELL. THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE AWESOME TO WORK WITH.
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DOUGLAS: I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH KEVIN PARKER OF TAME IMPALA. I FEEL LIKE I COULD BOUNCE 100 IDEAS OFF OF HIM AND HE WOULD TURN THEM INTO 100 HITS. HE'S SUCH A UNIQUE AND VERSATILE ARTIST--ESPECIALLY ON THE PRODUCTION SIDE--AND SOMEONE WHO EMBRACES A GENRE-LESS MENTALITY.
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PETER: RICK RUBIN'S EASY-GOING PRODUCTION STYLE WOULD MESH WELL WITH US. WE ENJOY BEING DYNAMIC AND--SOMETIMES--FREEFORM IN THE STUDIO CREATIVE PROCESS. PERSONALLY, I'D LIKE TO WORK WITH JAY Z AS WELL.
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Q: WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?
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SEAN: BREAKTIME HAS GREAT PLANS FOR 2023. IF YOU FEEL POP ROCK SHOULD LEARN SOME TRICKS FROM THE PAST AND LIKE THE SOUND OF DOUBLE-SINGLES AND/OR EP FOLLOW-UPS--POSSIBLY RELEASING IN SUMMER 2023 (WE'LL ACTUALLY DO IT THIS TIME!)--BREAKTIME'S SONIC CELEBRATION IS FOR YOU.
SEE THE ORIGINAL INTERVIEW AT MOOSIC ENTERTAINMENT HERE.
LISTENING TO THIS WEEK - MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES
IDHAS Staff | I Don't Hear A Single | 01/10/23
BREAKTIME - MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES
Eduard Banulescu | Alt77 | 01/08/23
SIMILAR ARTISTS: THE BEATLES, THE BYRDS
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GENRE: CLASSIC ROCK, POP ROCK, INDIE ROCK
POP MUSIC TRENDS COME AND GO FASTER THAN PROMISES MADE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. EVERYONE TREATS THEM LIKE THEY'RE IMPORTANT FOR A SHORT WHILE. BUT, ONCE THEY'VE DISAPPEARED FOREVER, NOBODY MAKES ANY EFFORT TO MAKE THEM APPEAR TO BE ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THEY WERE.
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FEW MUSICAL ELEMENTS SEEM TO STICK. THE SONGS THAT POSSESS THESE ELEMENTS ARE THE ONES REVIVED ONCE EVERY SO OFTEN, EVEN IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE BEEN RECORDED DECADES AGO.
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POSSIBLY THE MOST IMPORTANT MUSICAL ELEMENT THAT DISTINGUISHES A TRULY GREAT POP RECORD HAS TO DO WITH THE MELODIES. OF COURSE, THESE ALSO NEED TO BE ARRANGED IN A CLEVER, INNOVATIVE WAY. THE SONGS THAT HAVE MEMORABLE, INTRIGUING MELODIES ARE USUALLY THE ONES THAT SURVIVE THE PASSING OF TIME.
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THEREFORE, MELODIES ARE A GREAT PLACE TO START FOR ALL ASPIRING ROCK STARS. STILL, FEW OF THEM DO. BREAKTIME'S "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES" IS AMONG THE FEW TO RECOGNIZE THE GROUND ALREADY COVERED BY PREDECESSORS IN TERMS OF THE SWEETNESS OF MELODIES. THIS IS A SONG HIGH IN SUGARY CONSTRUCTION MEANT TO SWEETEN ONE'S DAY AND LOOK BACK ON THE PAST WITH ADMIRATION.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL REVIEW AT HYPEMACHINE-LISTED ALT77 HERE.
BREAKTIME: GREAT TIMES
Hans Werksman | Here Comes The Flood | 01/05/23
GETTING OUT OF THE COVER BAND CIRCUIT IS HARD, BUT NEW JERSEY OLD SCHOOL ROCK 'N' ROLL BREAKTIME HAVE WRITTEN A COUPLE OF ORIGINALS THAT COULD BE SNEAKED INTO THEIR SETS AT WEDDINGS AND SUCH, AND BEEN MISTAKEN FOR LONG LOST TUNES FROM THE LATE '50S/EARLY '60S. GREAT TIMES IS AN ALBUM THAT IS OBVIOUSLY RECORDED ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET AND THE LEAD VOCALS COULD USE A BIT MORE OOMPH, BUT THE MELODIES ARE CATCHY AS HELL. THE JOY OF HEARING THEMSELVES PLAY THEIR OWN MATERIAL FOR A CHANGE IS ALMOST PALPABLE. THE MAIN THEME IS BOY MEETS GIRL NEVER GETS OLD, AS WELL AS THE ANXIETY WHETHER IT WILL LAST.
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IF ANYTHING THE RELEASE OF GREAT TIMES WILL GIVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE TO PURSUE A CAREER THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE THEM TO PLAY SUPERSTITION, BABY I LOVE YOUR WAY, SUGAREE, WONDERFUL TONIGHT AND ROCK N' ROLL ALL NITE FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME TO AN AUDIENCE THAT IS LIKELY TO BE MORE INTERESTED IN THE OPEN BAR OR TRYING TO GET LAID. JUST PLACATE THEM WITH THE INSTRUMENTAL "JAM SAUCE" AS AN OPENER OF THE SHOW AND SMUGGLE IN TWO OR THREE MORE, WITH THE ROCKING "CATCH A RIDE, 425" AS THE PENULTIMATE SONG OF THE LAST SET.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL REVIEW AT HYPEMACHINE-LISTED HERE COMES THE FLOOD HERE.
MY FAVORITE DECEMBER 2022 RELEASES
Laura | Laura Meets Musicians | 12/26/22
THE PENINSULA CITY'S COVER-TURNED ORIGINAL INDIE-POP OUTFIT BREAKTIME RELEASED THEIR DEBUT EP FORAY ENTITLED GREAT TIMES ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16TH. A YEAR-LONG EFFORT, THE GREAT TIMES RECORDINGS--MIXED AND MASTERED BY XANTHI MUSIC PRODUCTIONS'S ROD SHEPARD--EMANATE FROM BREAKTIME'S EXCLUSIVE BT STUDIO ONE AND SHOWCASE THE UPSTARTS' STYLISTIC BREADTH. WITH MODERN EXPLOITS INTO HARD ROCK, SIXTIES' POP, SURF ROCK, FOLK, AND TRADITIONAL ROCK 'N' ROLL, GREAT TIMES PROMISES AND DELIVERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY. "MASTERMIND" COMMANDS THE OPENING TRACK DISTINCTION ON GREAT TIMES. AS THE BAND'S LATEST SINGLE RELEASE FROM JANUARY 2022, LISTENERS CATAPULTED THE SIZZLING HARD ROCK SELECTION TO OVER 5,900 SPOTIFY STREAMS--THE MOST OF ANY BREAKTIME RELEASE TO DATE. ON "MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES," THE EP'S SINGLE, BREAKTIME PROMINENTLY EMPLOYS THE TWELVE-STRING ELECTRIC GUITAR, SUBMERGING THE STEREO FIELD IN A TRIUMPHANT SIXTIES JANGLE TOUR-DE-FORCE. FANS PRAISE THE BAND AS "A REFRESHING DOSE OF POP/ROCK SELECTIONS AND IMPRESSIVE DELIVERY OF THE SAME," AND ASSERT "THEIR GOOD VIBE IS CONTAGIOUS!" BREAKTIME FORMED IN 2018 TO INJECT LONG-LOVED CLASSIC ROCK SONGS' YOUTHFUL ENERGY BACK INTO THEIR PRESENT PERFORMANCE. IN 2021, THE OBJECTIVE SHIFTED TO INJECTING VINTAGE FLAIR INTO POP SONGWRITING. A COMMON OCCURRENCE EMERGED AT BREAKTIME'S LIVE SHOWS: LISTENERS WHO PRIMARILY STREAM ANYTHING FROM HARD ROCK AND PUNK TO SHOEGAZE AND COUNTRY TOLD THE BAND THEY ENJOYED THEIR MODERN VINTAGE SONIC PROFILE! WHEN BREAKTIME IS NOT RELEASING NEW MATERIAL, THE "SPUDS" (TERM OF ENDEARMENT) PERFORM THE ODD COVER SHOW AND SHARE DOCKETS WITH ORIGINAL ACTS AROUND NY-NJ.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL REVIEW AT LAURA MEETS MUSICIANS HERE.
NEW & NOTABLE NJ MUSIC
Lazlo | BlowUpRadio.com for New Jersey Stage | 12/26/22
BREAKTIME PICKED A STRANGE TIME OF YEAR TO RELEASE THEIR DEBUT EP GREAT TIMES. THIS IS WHAT I WOULD REFER TO AS A SUMMER ALBUM, AND DAMN AWESOME ONE AT THAT!
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WHY A SUMMER ALBUM? BECAUSE WHAT BREAKTIME DOES SO WELL IS HARKEN BACK TO THE FUN POP ROCK SOUNDS OF THE MERSEYBEAT ERA (THINK VERY EARLY BEATLES). THESE ARE THE TYPES OF SONGS I WANT TO BLAST IN MY CAR WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN WHILE HEADING TO THE SHORE; HOWEVER, AS I TYPE THIS IT IS A FRIGIDLY COLD WINTER DAY.
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BUT FOR A LITTLE OVER 25 MINUTES LISTENING TO BREAKTIME, THEIR MELODIES AND HARMONIES ARE LIKE SUNRAYS ENHANCING MY MOOD...ON THIS BLEAK, COLD DAY.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL REVIEW AT NEW JERSEY STAGE HERE.
BAYONNE'S BREAKTIME UNVEILS DEBUT EP Hud Post Staff | Hud Post | 12/09/22
BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY-BASED INDIE-POP OUTFIT BREAKTIME IS SET TO RELEASE THEIR DEBUT EP, GREAT TIMES, ON DECEMBER 16TH, 2022. THE EP, WHICH WAS MIXED AND MASTERED BY XANTHI MUSIC PRODUCTIONS’ ROD SHEPARD, WAS RECORDED AT BT STUDIO ONE AND FEATURES A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES, INCLUDING HARD ROCK, SIXTIES POP, SURF ROCK, FOLK, AND TRADITIONAL ROCK AND ROLL.
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GREAT TIMES OPENS WITH “MASTERMIND,” THE BAND’S LATEST SINGLE RELEASE FROM JANUARY 2022 WHICH RECEIVED OVER 5,400 SPOTIFY STREAMS, MAKING IT THE MOST STREAMED BREAKTIME RELEASE TO DATE. ANOTHER STANDOUT TRACK ON THE EP IS “MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES,” WHICH PROMINENTLY FEATURES A TWELVE-STRING ELECTRIC GUITAR AND DELIVERS A TRIUMPHANT SIXTIES JANGLE TOUR-DE-FORCE.
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BREAKTIME FORMED IN 2018 WITH THE GOAL OF INJECTING A YOUTHFUL ENERGY INTO CLASSIC ROCK SONGS. BY 2021, THE BAND HAD SHIFTED THEIR FOCUS TO INCORPORATING VINTAGE FLAIR INTO THEIR POP SONGWRITING. THIS UNIQUE SOUND HAS EARNED THEM A DEDICATED FANBASE, WITH FANS PRAISING THE BAND FOR THEIR “REFRESHING DOSE OF POP/ROCK SELECTIONS AND IMPRESSIVE DELIVERY OF THE SAME” AND DESCRIBING THEIR MUSIC AS “CONTAGIOUSLY GOOD.”
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WHEN THEY’RE NOT RELEASING NEW MATERIAL, BREAKTIME PERFORMS COVER SHOWS AND SHARES THE STAGE WITH OTHER ORIGINAL ACTS IN THE NY-NJ AREA. FANS CAN FOLLOW THE BAND ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, AND TIKTOK (@BREAKTIMELIVENJ).
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SEE THE ORIGINAL RELEASE AT HUD POST HERE.
BREAKTIME TO RELEASE 'GREAT TIMES'
Daniel Israel | Hudson Reporter | 12/09/22
INDIE-POP GROUP BREAKTIME IS RELEASING ITS DEBUT EP FORAY ENTITLED “GREAT TIMES.”
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THE EP BY THE COVER-TURNED-ORIGINAL BAND FROM BAYONNE WILL BE AVAILABLE ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS ON FRIDAY, DEC. 16. BREAKTIME CONSISTS OF FOUNDER, MANAGER, HEAD SONGWRITER AND BASS PLAYER SEAN MANUEL, LEAD GUITARIST AND SONGWRITER THOMMY DELANEY, VOCALIST, GUITARIST, AND SONGWRITER DOUGLAS LUPO, AND DRUMMER PETER ROEFARO.
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BREAKTIME FORMED IN THE PENINSULA CITY IN 2018 TO “INJECT LONG-LOVED CLASSIC ROCK SONGS’ YOUTHFUL ENERGY BACK INTO THEIR PRESENT PERFORMANCE.” IN 2021, THE BAND’S OBJECTIVE SHIFTED TO “INJECTING VINTAGE FLAIR INTO POP SONGWRITING.”
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ACCORDING TO BREAKTIME, A COMMON OCCURRENCE EMERGED AT THEIR LIVE SHOWS: LISTENERS WHO PRIMARILY STREAM ANYTHING FROM HARD ROCK AND PUNK TO SHOEGAZE AND COUNTRY TOLD THE BAND THEY ENJOYED THEIR MODERN VINTAGE SONIC PROFILE.
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‘GREAT TIMES’ TO BE RELEASED SOON
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A YEAR-LONG EFFORT, THE GREAT TIMES RECORDINGS WERE MIXED AND MASTERED BY XANTHI MUSIC PRODUCTIONS’S ROD SHEPARD. THE RECORDINGS EMANATE FROM BREAKTIME’S EXCLUSIVE BT STUDIO ONE AND SHOWCASE THE UPSTARTS’ STYLISTIC BREADTH.
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WITH MODERN EXPLOITS INTO HARD ROCK, ’60S POP, SURF ROCK, FOLK AND TRADITIONAL ROCK ’N ’ROLL, GREAT TIMES PROMISES AND DELIVERS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, ACCORDING TO THE BAND.
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“MASTERMIND” COMMANDS THE OPENING TRACK DISTINCTION ON “GREAT TIMES.” AS THE BAND’S LATEST SINGLE RELEASE FROM JANUARY 2022, LISTENERS CATAPULTED THE SIZZLING HARD ROCK SELECTION TO OVER 5,400 SPOTIFY STREAMS. BREAKTIME SAID THAT IS THE MOST OF ANY SONG RELEASE TO DATE.
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ON “MAYBE NO, MAYBE YES,” THE EP’S CHOSEN SINGLE, BREAKTIME PROMINENTLY EMPLOYS THE 12-STRING ELECTRIC GUITAR, SUBMERGING THE STEREO FIELD IN A TRIUMPHANT ’60S JANGLE TOUR-DE-FORCE. FANS PRAISE THE BAND AS “A REFRESHING DOSE OF POP/ROCK SELECTIONS AND IMPRESSIVE DELIVERY OF THE SAME,” AND ASSERT “THEIR GOOD VIBE IS CONTAGIOUS!”
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THE BAND TOUTS LISTENER REVIEWS ON ITS WEBSITE. READ MORE AT BREAKTIMELIVENJ.COM/TESTIMONIALS.
WHEN BREAKTIME IS NOT RELEASING NEW MATERIAL, THE “SPUDS,” A TERM OF ENDEARMENT USED BY THE BAND, PERFORM THE ODD COVER SHOW AND SHARE DOCKETS WITH ORIGINAL ACTS AROUND NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY.
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SEE THE ORIGINAL RELEASE AT HUDSON REPORTER HERE.