Oxford-based DayBreakDown, after over a year and a half of relentless touring in legendary live shows have released a fantastic record, "Make Me Wiser" on Dirt Road Records. Folks familiar with DayBreakDown's Southern Rock jam based live performances will recognize the signature guitar, keyboard, drums and bass instrumentation, but will be pleasantly surprised by the taut and concise arrangements. While their live sets feature plenty of room for jams and solos, "Make Me Wiser" seems, as the title suggests, to recognize the virtue of restraint and crisp song writing. Several band members write songs; while the influences are certainly varied, the respective compositions of Eric Carlton (keyboards), Patrick McClary (lead guitar/vocals) and Reid Stone (rhythm guitar/vocals) are all relatively straightforward, lyrically honest tunes that make your lower chassis want to move. John Patrick's bass playing and Tyler Rayburn's drumming solidify an excellent rhythm section that experiments with time signatures and dynamics in a refreshing way. While the band conjures the Allman Brothers, Little Feet and Government Mule, they do it in a way that is new and somewhat grittier. "Make Me Wiser" is the band's debut album, but it sounds like a band that's been together a decade, surely a benefit of the band's relentless touring schedule. -- by Eric Stracener www.daybreakdown.com
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