Firesale - mind breath

Firesale 

Mind Breath
self-released; 2013

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Here’s an interesting concept. Start a band that plays punk rock and transforms into a reggae/dub act that writes and performs their own original music. I’m not sure how the change happened for Firesale but I'm sure happy it did. On their recent second full-length album entitled Mind Breath they bring it song after song. The bass bumps hard, the guitar sounds refined, but when it mixes the percussive elements and the horns it really come together. It’s obvious from the beginning of the album that the band has chemistry and creates some great music for Max Lipnick to sing over (he sometimes sounds like Brad Nowell from Sublime). 

Everything about this album goes down easy. The overall vibe as well as the production makes you want to grab a drink and bob your head along with the music. From the first note to the last, Mind Breath is covered in a warm inviting tone.

The first things we hear are enticing complex percussive elements followed by a clean guitar line. After an upsurge of energy, a tranquil atmosphere enters when the horns enter the scene.  The slight delay on the guitar is just enough as the complex bass playing leads the song. “For Future’s Sake” could come with a guarantee that it will make your day a little brighter. It’s a very optimistic vibe, that is I’m sure is a fan favorite when they play live. This song is also one of the best performances by Lipnick. 

The guitar chords on “She’s A Wave” reminded me of a James Brown song and added even more danceability to the song. It’s obvious from the get-go that these guys are technically talented but on this song they flex their muscles a bit with the guitar solo, as well as the horns. Bob Marley would have been proud of their message on “Time for a Change,” which talks about a prolific transition in order to achieve peace. It is one of the only songs with slight political overtones.

As much as I liked this album it's hard not to think that these guys are even better live. The music seems conducive for a live environment. In the meantime go ahead and pick up this album until they visit your hometown.

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