lambchops's Full Review: Breach by The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers have more than lead man Jakob Dylan’s bloodline and fair-eyed good looks going for them. I’ve convinced that the band has a great deal of talent, but only occasionally does it bubble up and over to their albums.
Across the all of the band’s breakthrough sophomore album Bringing Down the Horse there were flashes of brilliance. Songs including (but not limited to) One Headlight, 6th Avenue Heartache, Three Marlenas, and The Difference struck a chord with radio listeners and MTV fans alike. Radio listeners certainly were drawn to Dylan’s smooth and luscious voice, while MTV viewers got lost in his crystalline blue eyes. In either case, the hype was much deserved.
As mentioned, Jakob Dylan (yes, of the uber-famous and uber-talented Dylan bloodline) heads The Wallflowers. He provides the vocals, guitars, and lyrics for the smooth, roots rock based style the band has mastered over the past years. The lineup is rounded out by keyboardist Rami Jaffee, guitarist Michael Ward, bassist Greg Richling, and drummer Mario Calire. The five-man ensemble has over the course of the past six or seven years made it clear that their front man is more than the son of Bob Dylan. Jakob is indeed a talent in his own right.
But at the same time, The Wallflowers are desperately in need of a new trick. Four years after hitting it big with Bringing Down the Horse the band returned to the charts with their third album simply entitled Breach. The 2000 release was fine enough, spawning a pair of hit singles in the form of Sleepwalker and Letters From The Wasteland. The album was no where near as resonant as the former. It didn’t sell as well, nor was it awarded the critical acclaim. This phenomenon was not a result of the lacking quality. Rather the opposite. Breach was essentially identical to Bringing Down the Horse.
The Wallflowers are more talented than most acts, but they need to change things up to make their music once again interesting. Nothing about Breach is specifically bad. It sounds good, the songs are usually catchy, and Dylan’s voice is true and rich. But it doesn’t bring anything new or different to the table. I am left with the overwhelming feeling that I’ve been here and done this before—only last time I was much more impressed and entertained.
Breach consists of a mere ten songs. Considering the album is distinctly a rehash of the earlier more successful album, this revelation comes as a great relief. In all, I’m under whelmed by what The Wallflowers brought to the table after years of time to perfect their follow up. The songs seem rather wishy-washing and completely contrived, lacking the flow and consistency of those most popular and best from Bringing Down the Horse. The best material here is pretty straightforward and easy to pin down. I’m most appreciative of the light, acoustic feel of Mourning Train and Up and Under. Funny thing is that neither of these songs was a hit, I just believe that this is where the band’s truest talent lies.
The songs that on the other hand are usually most popular are those than ended up with some amount of airplay. Sleepwalker is most popular among these. And while I do indeed understand why people like it, I do not agree. It is boring, and without any particular motivation. It sounds like left over material from Bringing Down the Horse. I personally think The Wallflowers should have turned into the more acoustic self that surfaces later on this album (and as I spoke about earlier). Also of this ilk are tracks Letter From the Wasteland, Hand Me Down and much of the most prominently placed early material on Breach.
Breach is in fact one album that improves as it progresses. Dylan in particular possesses a great deal of talent. He looks great, and sounds like an angel in all honesty. I also have some amount of faith in the unique keyboardist Jaffee. It is with his fingers that The Wallflowers have defined their sounds. The band more recently (2002) returned with their fourth album Red Letter Days. I have been wholly tainted by my experience with Breach and have refused to associate with that effort (especially considering it is said to include extremely clean production and meant to appeal to mainstream adult contemporary ears).
Breach isn’t challenging, nor is it new. It will however appeal to fans of the band be that for the better or worse.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Track Listing:
1. Letters from the Wasteland
2. Hand Me Down
3. Sleepwalker
4. I've Been Delivered
5. Witness
6. Some Flowers Bloom Dead
7. Mourning Train
8. Up from Under
9. Murder 101
10. Birdcage
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