Search - Reigning Sound :: Break Up Break Down

A great surprise

blurge | Santa Monica, CA | 07/01/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Reigning Sound is the first Memphis band since Big Star that has made a great set of albums that are soulful and steeped in the essence of real immediate instinctive organic rock and roll. Break Up Break Down is a mellower album than their follow-up, Time Bomb High School. When I was first told to check them out, I was directed to Break Up Break Down as the stronger of the two. Initiailly, I shared that feeling and found myself wearing out Break Up Break Down with dozens of plays without bothering to pull anything out from the rest of my collection. Then I decided to put Time Bomb High School on repeat for a few spins and fell in love with it, too. While it has some fine lower key tracks, the album has a harder raw feel. Just as Big Star's #1 Record is a more inward feeling record and Radio City is more assertive, so is Break Up Break Down to Time Bomb High School. The harder rocking numbers on Time Bomb recall great Memphis Mid-South garage rock bands of the 60's. They even cover The Guilloteens lost classic "I Don't Believe" and deliver it like they own it. These albums are not lo-fi productions, like The Oblivians. But while they are well recorded and produced, there isn't a moment that sounds over-thought. Everything feels like it is serving the tone and emotion of the material and performances, as it should. There is one thing that I value in these recordings ..... they sound like a real Memphis band. They wear their regionalism proudly in a city whose majority of bands have spent the last thirty years desperately trying to sound like everything on MTV and the radio. Finally, I never bother to write "reviews" - and I hate the idea of sounding like I'm hyping a release - but these are the kind of albums that get better with each listen and I find myself listening with almost the same thrill that I got when I got my first Yardbirds, Kinks, Big Star and Animanls albums years ago - and that is really saying something."

Oblivian's are dead, long live Reigning Sound

Mike Kelly | Detroit , MI | 10/29/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I can imagine a lot of the hard core Oblivians fans who bought Greg Oblivian's first "Tip Top" solo outing were sorely disappointed by the snappy pop tunes (although still Lo Fi sound quality). If you were one of those people, then definitely don't buy this album (however, fans of bands like Uncle Tupelo and American Music Club will proabably like it) . There is not even a hint of lo fi bluesy garage punk here. In it's place are polished low key songs with pop, country and Memphis soul influence. All the songs deal with various aspects of heartbreak, from the mournful to bittersweet.
Although not a great record, there are some great songs here ("I Don't Care" and "As Long" are two highlights). One thing that also stands out that you could not really appreciate over the Oblivian's squal is that Greg Oblivian (or Greg Cartwright as he now prefers) has a great soulful voice that fits prefectly with the material."

Nothing wrong with doing something different.

fluffy, the human being. | forest lake, mn | 02/17/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"quite a surprise here. is this the same greg cartwright/greg oblivian who tried to blow my stereo spearkers apart with his music in the "oblivians?" is this the same reigning sound that made such loud garage classics as "time bomb high school," and "too much guitar?" this is sooo very different. but who cares? not me. this is a fantastic cd. it opens with a mid-tempo song colored by alt-country overtones that lets you know right off that things will be different this time. it moves on to the purely catchy hook of "i don't care." then comes the soft pop of "you don't hear the music," which is tasteful and perfect. "goodbye" is all gentle beauty. then along comes "as long," more alt-country done like a hip urban cowboy. "want you," is more soft pop, more gentle beauty, more impeccable taste on display. "so goes love," is an intense power pop number. "take a ride," displays fantastic vocals & a great guitar solo done with a perfect sense of restraint. "waiting for the day," is more heavenly pop, a bouncy melody that rides a beam of sunshine. "so sad," breaking up is bad, yes; but great songs often rise from the ashes of such an experience, and this is one of them (paul westerberg influence i hear in this like i'm at a wine sampling). the album ends with "i'm so thankful," a mid-tempo song that's got the only garage rock feel to it out of the whole set. this closer would blend right in on the classic "nuggets" box set. nothing wrong with doing something different mr cartwright. in fact i'm glad you did."