With a single email, a band (Broken Records) simultaneously (1) disrupted plans that we were excited to follow and (2) made the day much better than expected. The plan for the day was to research what happened at SXSW yesterday (besides the sad event). Each year, we look forward the NPR podcasts (“All Things Considered”) that originate from Austin. And there are other reports that help those of us who do not attend. But the Broken Records email changed the day’s timeline of activity.
The email announced availability of a second song from the soon-to-be-released EP entitled “Toska.” The EP from Broken Record is scheduled to drop on March 24, with their third album (“Weights and Pulleys”) arriving about two months later. Broken Records are Jamie Sutherland (vocals, piano), Rory Sutherland (violin, guitar, accordion), Ian Turnbull (guitar, piano, accordion), Dave Smith (piano, trumpet), Craig Ross (guitar, bass) and Andrew Keeney (drums). So, the cello left with member Arne Kolb at about the time we’re hitting our stride in appreciating the instrument. ON THE OTHER HAND, if the rest of the songs they throw at listeners in 2014 are launched with the same accuracy as these two, Broken Records is going to do some damage.
Broken Records is a band with more than the usual number of instrument options. It’s a six member band, but the six members contribute a horn (Smith’s trumpet, our favorite horn), a violin (brother Rory’s), an accordion (Rory again and Turnbull), and a piano (Smith and brother Jamie), as well as percussion (Keeney) and guitars (Ross et al.). And Broken Records isn’t shying away from using the options in order to create changes of pace that maintain the interest of listeners. This is more evident in the song “Revival,” as best evidenced by paying attention to the energy shifts occurring at 1:42 (down tempo) and 1:53 (up tempo). Nevertheless, “Toska” is our preferred song, of the two. We particularly enjoy the final 60 seconds of “Toska,” as first the piano and then the violin takes center stage.
“Toska” by Broken Records
“Revival” by Broken Records