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Behind The Blues (Breen) Review

8/26/2020

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Behind The Blues (Breen)
​

Mike Breen follows the time-honored tradition of country storytelling in the sweetly sentimental ballad Behind the Blues  where his traditional guitar work marries with tender piano, and nostalgic strains of autoharp and mandola to create a timeless tale of weary resignation and blues blossoming into the sweet surrender of love. The instrumental mastery on display, along with Breen's unwavering delivery of matters of the heart brings the listener back to days as a small child, humble and quiet, content just to have a place to sit and enjoy the music as it unfolds.

Where to begin? Cartsonis's presence with the Autoharp and multiple Mandolas lends Behind the Blues an idyllic, almost storybook-like feel, while still blending with the other instruments flawlessly, a very special and specific je ne sais quoi. The piano's line, provided by Ponzek finds opportunity for plenty of flair and personality amid wonderful simplicity, and the contrast between acoustic and resonator guitar furthers this same sense of carefully crafted restraint. A moment of resolve (at approximately 3.21) and the lead up to it (starting around 3.07) work together to grant the closing measures particular poignance. All that being said, the song truly owes its soul to the excellently arranged and delivered lyrics that paint a vivid picture of a lonely, aging narrator long resigned to his fate, and his miraculous evolution as he begins to discover love in his world, and finally bids the Blues farewell.

Mike Breen has given the world a beautiful song, impressively self-produced, and considering its publishing credits, I imagine many others agree. Thank you for sharing.

Behind the Blues is essentially Country in structure, but Mike Breen may find it tugging on the heartstrings of Pop, Folk, Singer-Songwriter, and Indie listeners; really anyone who's up for a song full of authentic emotion. Great for live performances, album sales, and personal playlists alike, the possibilities for Behind the Blues are many. My guess would be that there are dozens of prolific country artists who would beg (and pay) for a chance to perform this song, but with the excellent execution of Breen and company, I wouldn't blame him for wanting to keep this one to himself.
-Mary Wildsmith
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Fancy Balloons on Amazon

8/22/2020

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Worth The Wait (Breen/Cioffi)  Youtube

8/21/2020

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Worth The Wait is classic Americana folk music at its best. With it's warmth, pretty melody and gorgeous harmonies, Mike Breen gives a wonderful message of hope, optimism and beauty, in giving love and ourselves time and patience. It's a wonderful message considering the fast paced world we're living in, where instant gratification and impatience seems to dominate our culture. Breen reminds us of the importance of vulnerability, and gives us a little old fashioned romance -- in bringing forward the idea of fate. Love is fate. And love is certainly worth the wait. This is for the Lyle Lovett, Neil Young or Lucinda Williams fan. It's Americana folk, infused with country charm. - Ama Cruz
Worth The Wait (Breen/Cioffi) (c.2004)


The girl she was enamored
and she couldn’t help but fall
despite her reservations and doubts about it all


She liked to live alone
She’d resigned herself to fate
and she built a wall around her so her heart could never break


She almost didn’t notice
it was such a subtle change
when looking in the mirror she’d smile and say his name


CHORUS
And she heard it said 
“Good things are worth the wait”
She realized when love arrived that
it was so much better late


The boy he knew it sooner
he just couldn’t let it show
He could feel the wall around her 
there was so much he didn’t know


but it really didn’t matter 
he had time enough to spare
he knew the wall would crumble and he’d be standing there


CHORUS
And she heard it said 
“Good things are worth the wait”
She realized when love arrived that
it was so much better late


Once it was so easy to pretend they didn’t care
Now they can’t remember when the feeling’ wasn’t there


CHORUS
And they heard it said 
“Good things are worth the wait”
They realized when love arrived that
it was so much better
it was so much better 
it was so much better late
it was worth the wait
It was worth the wait
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Worth The Wait - (Breen/Cioffi)

8/11/2020

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A song I wrote with Billy Cioffi that is just being released.  Hope you like :-).mikebreen.hearnow.com/worth-the-wait
Picture
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Mike Breen "No Excuses"

8/2/2020

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Mike Breen "Past Lives"

8/2/2020

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Mike Breen "Mescal Mary & Other B Bender Guitar Instrumentals"

8/2/2020

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Mike Breen "Apartment Living"

8/2/2020

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Mike Breen And The Big Dream "All Night long"

8/2/2020

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A few reviews over the years...

 His vocal delivery is warm and inviting. His story lines are conversations about life and observations on its living moments. “Baby’s Comin’ in on a Plane” lets you feel the excitement of the guy at the gate whose heart beats a little faster with each departing passenger, “Cristina Valencia” slips south of the border to plead to the lady in the title for a little love light from her dark eyes and “Carnival Queen” walks the midway with love at your side."  -Alternate Root Magazine.
"It's always a pleasure to hear an independant CD that delivers the goods past the first cut and this release from Breen is such an example."   Sing Out Magazine
"A consistent quality rolls right through the third solo album and instro debut from singer-songwriter Mike Breen. On Mescal Mary & Other B Bender Guitar Instrumentals, Breen performs masterfully on the B and G bender guitar, a guitar device invented by one time Byrds guitarists Clarence White and Gene Parsons to resemble the sounds of the pedal steel guitar. Breen mixes his tasty electric work with his added banjo, mandolin and flatpicking guitar sounds."  " 20th Century Guitar by Robert Siverstein
"I wish all singer-songwriter albums were this rewarding."  Dirty Linen
"
​Mike Breen may be an unfamiliar name but his songs have that warm. lived in quality that lodge themselves firmly within the subconscious..." John O'Regan - Rock-N-Reel
One of..."the best of the real indies..." Carolyn Adams - WDIY-FM


Contact Me - mikebreenmusic@yahoo

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