Riverbreaks

From Central America to the American South, The Riverbreaks of Washington, DC is an Americana band in more ways than one. The band’s singer Ryan Bailey was raised in Nashville and came of musical age in Chapel Hill, NC, but wrote much of Wildfire in the Costa Rican jungle. He emerged with the songs for Wildfire, an album that sonically combines the best of Americana and indie rock with folk and country influences, but lyrically covers a lot of ground, spanning themes of youth, heartbreak, the Latin American drug war, the marginalization of indigenous groups, and nature.

The Riverbreaks will release Wildfire with two shows in their home base of Washington, DC, with performances on Friday, Feb. 1, at the renowned Kennedy Center and Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Black Cat. The band will also rock the Living Room in New York City on Feb. 2, and Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC, on Feb. 17. The album is already getting action at college radio stations in Philadephia and Chicago as well as spins on AAA powerhouses like KVMR.

The album was produced by Chris Stamey, who is a critically acclaimed member of the dB’s and producer of bands including Whiskeytown, Megafaun, The Rosebuds, and Alejandro Escovedo. Working with Stamey seemed natural to The Riverbreaks, as members Ryan (vocals), Jesse (electric guitar), Neela (violin), and Andrew (keys) attended UNC Chapel Hill, where Stamey’s studio is located, and Drew (bass) lived in Raleigh. As they delved into the music scene, all roads led back to Chris as a musician, songwriter and producer. Special guests on the album include Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown, Tres Chicas), Mitch Easter (Lets Active, REM producer) and Logan Matheny (Roman Candle), among others.

Wildfire is the second album for The Riverbreaks. The band released its debut album Get You Right in spring 2011, and shortly thereafter began working on Wildfire, which it recorded in the spring and of 2012. It is a rich album, full of songs with a strong narrative. “Some of the lyrics took shape when I started thinking about the parallels in the southern US and South America – in both places indigenous groups have been marginalized and there are similar agricultural, natural and spiritual elements,” Ryan commented. “Wild Fruit” (the subject of their upcoming video)—is a violin-driven song referencing the Ayoreo people and the destruction of their land. There are also songs with roots deep in the American south. “American Sun” is a highlight: a rollicking organ riff dances through this tune about youth, love and loss, featuring a soaring Caitlin Cary harmony. “Paper Moon,” a late addition, was recorded in one take; it combines a crooning vocal and haunting reverb-drenched guitar. “Tell the Girls” is a straight up dance number, building from solo acoustic guitar to a stomping chorus with an indelible hook.

The Riverbreaks prove that while there is no place like home, sometimes an exotic locale lends depth and dimension to songs with deeply personal references. Their combination of gorgeous Americana and indie rock makes Wildfire unforgettable.

RIYL: Lumineers, The Low Anthem, The Rosebuds, Whiskeytown
TRY: #1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9
DIRTY: #8, 11

The Riverbreaks, Wildfire by The Riverbreaks

Download Full Album Here:
https://www.piratepirate.com/downloads/

More Info Here:
http://www.theriverbreaks.com
https://twitter.com/TheRiverBreaks
https://www.facebook.com/TheRiverbreaks
http://theriverbreaks.bandcamp.com