Hey Break listeners,

Patrick here.

After you’ve had a chance to stream the new album this past weekend, I wanted to post a review of the album, as recounted by a very close friend of mine.

Justin and I grew up in a little town in New Jersey called Midland Park. We met in elementary school there, and have since been best friends. In High School, Justin was responsible for corrupting my mind with terribly loud bands: Bands like Metallica, Slayer, Unearth, and many more. And he also took me to my first rock shows. He polluted my perception of music, and thus, Break of Reality was born.

As you can imagine, Justin’s opinion is quite important to me, and being how big of a musical influence he had on me, I wanted to share his thoughts of the new album with you:

“Spectrum of the Sky” review and a heartfelt account of the road traveled (Nicknames anyone?)

I’ll cut right to the chase: I love track five. I can’t remember the name of it, but it moves me. I’m a sucker for those major keys. I guess you’ll just have to hear it for yourself to know why I have my copy on repeat.

I had the pleasure of sitting through some of the most grueling months of my life with the man behind the cello, Patrick Laird, referred to in this review in his various nicknames. Watching my best friend kill himself over something he has become so passionate about is pure consumption in the most draining of contexts. When he tells me he can’t play Guitar Hero, I know he’s gone postal…

A few spins later…

For starters, the new album, entitled “Spectrum of the Sky”, is filled with tons of complex arrangements and compositions, but never loses its accessibility. P-Liddy has been running himself ragged over the past nine months constructing what I truly feel like, from a brutally honest friend and fan, to be his best work EVER. I’m a perfectionist when it comes to his music as well as my own, and I have never been so amped to listen to something he’s shown me before. I am the cynic that likes to test his creativity. I love to infuriate him with my critiques because I know what he is capable of achieving. I never saw Patty Cakes work as hard before and this album is a true testament to his work ethic and passion for creating amazing instrumental music.

P-funk never ceases to amaze me when it comes to his song writing ability. And let me give it up to Ivan Trevino, “the Mexican flash.” This little Texan lady-killer rips it up on the drums in this album. The dynamics behind the percussion on “Spectrum” are fresh and innovative, incorporating styles and instruments that have not been used on any previous works. Anyone with a rhythmic bone in their body will be able to groove and rock along to Flash’s witty and complex drum riffs and expansive new percussion. There is some serious growth here in all the right aspects of BoR’s music, and Ive is the spine and ambience behind this body of songs.

“So, who is this bozo?!”

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Justin, and I have been friends with Patrick since we were 8-years-old. Being in our ripe 20’s, we have gone through a tremendous amount of life experiences together, musical being the least, to come out on top as the best of friends, which I’m very proud of. Life was all rainbows and cheesecakes growing up in the Suburbs of northeastern New Jersey. We were just two mischievous, impulsive children fueled by loud music and rebellion. Thankfully, we never got into any serious trouble (eh) and had a blast in the process, skateboarding and terrorizing the neighborhoods.

Who knew what would be lurking around the corner…

I remember when Big-P came to me in his freshman year of college in 2003 with his musical concept of a cello and drum fusion rock band. I thought it was a great plan and we instantly collaborated on ideas for every part of the band. After establishing themselves in Rochester, NY, Pat wanted to record the band’s first album, “Voiceless”, and asked me if I would lend my drumming services to the first installment of Break of Reality. Pat and I spent two solid months recording the album and bringing the sound alive for listeners to embrace, and that is exactly what happened from there. Watching the band grow through Rochester and make the daring move to the Big Apple to pursue a career among thousands of musicians and surviving has been the ultimate reward for me as a friend and fan to witness. I was even lucky enough to play a song with the band at the Knitting Factory in NYC (Thanks again Ivan).

Although “Voiceless” has been out of print since their previous album was released in 2006 (The Sound Between), it has opened the door to the future of this band, which has never been brighter than now.

The bottom line is this: “Spectrum of the Sky” is Break of Reality’s most mature sounding album to date. Spectrum has the best production, songwriting, creative-flow, drumming, percussion, cello-work, solos, performance and diversity among any of Break of Reality’s previous works. The title speaks for itself. When I hear the album, all the little shades and emotions pour through the speakers in Break of Reality fashion, and it CRANKS. This album has songs for everyone: classical movements, hard rockers, psychedelic ambience, and of course my favorite, track five (It’s “pretty” but I love it).

Famous last words…

What LMNO-P and Co. have done here is merely tap into the spectrum that awaits them, which I feel will be a long, rewarding future in the music industry. I hope everyone uses my nicknames and enjoys my take on this soon-to-be milestone for the group.

-J

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