Mike Breen Music
  • Mike Breen - Fancy Balloons
  • Home
  • Music
  • About
  • Mike's Blog
  • Calendar
  • YouTube Videos
  • Reviews
  • Contact

Behind The Blues (Breen) Review

8/26/2020

0 Comments

 
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
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    RSS Feed

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

    Subscribe Today!

Submit