Care about the craft of songwriting may no
longer be the norm in today’s pop/rock world, where
cookie-cutter lyrics and beats usually hold sway. But don’t tell
that to Memphis-based
Breaking
Point, whose powerful new
album Beautiful Disorder combines emotional,
heart-felt lyrics with simultaneously intricate and
straight-ahead musicianship to deliver a compelling and intense
album from beginning to end.
Rewind to
the first time that founders Brett Erickson (singer/guitarist)
and Justin Rimer (guitarist) played together. Erickson recalls:
“I took Justin to this horrible ghetto neighborhood in Memphis,
where you could hear gunshots in the background, and we just
rocked out.”
Not quite
the imagined setting for heartfelt lyrics and precise
songwriting. Nonetheless, according to Erickson, “We saw
something in each other that was incredible, and we realized
with a little work we could achieve something amazing.”
Obviously
something went right that day of jamming. Back to the present,
where the band’s album features a mere percentage of their
overall collection: “We began with about 90 songs,” says
Erickson, “and it obviously became necessary to try and sculpt
that down. We started out really angry, aggressive and trying to
work out our angst about where we were at, but we finally turned
our energies into writing about something personal, that we were
close to. I’ve always felt that if you don’t feel it, then don’t
say it or play it.”
“The great
ones really stood out, because they were heartfelt,” adds
guitarist Justin Rimer, who writes the bulk of Breaking Point’s
material. “It wasn’t hard at all to decide which ones should go
on the record – they were all really evident.”
Beautiful
Disorder
was born from what Rimer describes as “equally the best and
worst year and a half of my life,” during which time a
relationship ended and the band began questioning where it was
at – and where it might be headed.
First single
“Show Me A Sign,” with its killer riff and churning tempo
shifts, “was written out of all that, dealing with some of our
frustrations over where we were as a band,” Rimer says.
Likewise, the yearning, acoustic-tinged “All Messed Up”
deals with the overwhelming promise and loss that can be found
within relationships, while the affirmative “Don’t Let Go”
is about “not giving up, about going for your dreams. The entire
message is to hold on.”
Heady
emotional stuff is not something normally encountered in a music
scene dominated by musical histrionics and empty-headed
sloganeering. But Breaking Point gets its message of hope
across with hook-laden commitment. “These may be personal
songs,” Rimer explains, “but they’re describing universal
feelings.”
“Putting
yourself out there can be a little scary,” adds Erickson, the
group’s other primary songwriter. “But a lot of people come up
and say, ‘You’ve really nailed how I feel about that.’ Even
though I’ve heard these songs a zillion times, they can still
give me chills,” he continues. “They’re so close to Justin, but
it was no struggle for me to get his emotions across. I consider
him the brother I never had, and I’m truly honored to have him
as my friend.”
Through this
lengthy process, the core of the group maintained its steadfast
support of each other. “I give a lot of credit to Justin,” says
bassist Greg Edmondson. “He was very insistent about doing the
demos, but he also kept up the morale of the band. We went
through a lot to get this album finished, but it paid off.”
Of course
the album came from a lot more than just one fated Memphis jam
session. To start, Rimer and Erickson’s roots date back to high
school, although musically they didn’t click until years later
when they played together. Upon their newfound musical affinity,
the guys held endless auditions for members to round out the
band, and Edmondson – whose influences range from hardcore to
classic rock to early Motown and jazz– ultimately won the job.
“A year later, we were getting tons of label interest, and
things are now way better than I ever could have imagined,” the
bassist marvels.
Edmondson,
and Rimer as well, are both self-taught. “I feel that formal
lessons can put restraints on you, as far as developing your own
sound,” Edmondson says. “But at the same time, I’m my own worst
critic. I’m constantly looking to improve myself.”
“I just
always had this love for music,” Rimer says, who’s been playing
since age 12. “I definitely was able to create my own style, and
I pride myself on that. I would like to take a guitar lesson
someday,” he chuckles, “just to learn some theory…but I’ll
probably never get around to it.”
Completing
the line-up is drummer Aaron “Zeke” Dauner, who formally joined
after Beautiful Disorder was recorded. The
Minnesota native’s path began in Chicago, “where I met up with a
friend from Oklahoma City, and we started doing some demos. We
ended up in a studio in Orlando, and Brett Hestla [former
touring bassist from Creed] referred me to these guys in
Memphis. I had moved to Nashville by then, which is only a three
hours’ drive from Memphis, so I went over a few times, and it
just clicked.”
Though still
very much the band’s designated “new guy,” Dauner says he’s been
made more than welcome. “It’s really one happy family,” he
declares. “We have a lead singer who’s very talented and
focused, and a guitarist who does a lot of the songwriting –
they’re like two peas in a pod in the way they work together. My
job is to lock in with the bass player – and Greg is one of the
finest guys I’ve ever jammed with. All four of us have very
similar tastes in music too, which helps – everything from the
heavier stuff to Rush, the Police, and ‘80s new wave pop stuff.”
Playing into
the obvious care with which Breaking Point’s line-up was
solidified is a very real knowledge of – and appreciation for –
what being from Memphis means to the group. “Being from Memphis
in itself sets a really high standard for bands,” says Rimer.
“The level and quality of music coming out of here is amazing
and always has been. We feel very fortunate to be able to
represent Memphis and do the best job we can, considering the
history this town's music holds."
Now the
group is eagerly looking forward to returning to the road, a
luxury they’d been forced to give up while working on the album.
“That’s why you do it,” Erickson declares. “Writing, playing,
performing, recording – they’re all important and each has its
moments, but playing live is still the best one. Seeing people’s
heads move and in some cases singing along…that’s the rush.”
Rimer is
looking forward to touring as well. “Enough with all this
writing and recording!” he laughs. “I’m ready to get out there
and rock—ready for getting up in front of a crowd and having
fun.”
Review by:
breakingpoint.com
winduprecords.com
