Setting the scene with a mysterious guitar that becomes more present and expands into the whole band cohesively delivering the full experience, The Breakdown opens their new song Summer Song with the introspective lyrics, “you go to the places I don’t know, you say to get away form the pain, leaving nothing to explain…”
The Breakdown formed as a band just before lockdowns, and have been consistently creating and releasing for the last year. We love the melodies, the rising keys are truly euphoric, and depth of the lyricism featured on the new single is eye opening. Summer Song is almost reminiscent of The Smiths and The Cure.
Summer Song dates back to a recording session in the early 2000s. Speaking on the creative process, the band says, “The song had been floating around from that time and deserved a revisit. While the lyrics have been updated to reflect the 20 years that have past since it was written, it’s stood the test of time as a song about the end of a relationship. Brooding, and melancholic; it’s only relation to Summer is the period it was written.”
Summer Song is featured on our New Music Spotlight playlist and we have been immersing ourselves in the band’s discography which includes King of the Hill, ALARM! and The Girl in the Mondrian Dress.
The Breakdown are a melodic rock band based in London and founded in 2019 by teenage friends from around the south east. Formed out of the ashes of a previous band, and reuniting after a chance encounter 15-years later, the quartet began just 3 week before the nationwide lockdowns.
During this time the band have been working hard on writing new material for the imminent release of their debut full-length (as yet untitled) album. At it’s heart is a classic rock album with modern sensibilities that follows the well-trodden British musical tradition. Elements of XTC and The Smiths can be found mingled across their songs, along with more contemporary musical influences. It broods in crushing guitars and arpeggiated synths but this is no pop-homage; whilst the tracks lure with catchy riffs, killer melodies, and nostalgic lyrics; beneath the surface there are undercurrents of despair at modernity.