Breaking Laces
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Breaking Laces | |
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| Country | Brooklyn, USA |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Genres | Acoustic, Indie rock |
| Labels | MeekaSalise |
| Members | Willem Hartong - guitar, vocals Rob Chojnacki - bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Seth Masarsky - drums, percussion Harvey - samples |
Breaking Laces is an American rock band based in Brooklyn. They are most known for creating a larger sound than their appearance suggests. With the help of Harvey the sampler, Breaking Laces have established a strong live show, garnering comparisons to many bands from Soul Coughing to Radiohead to Violent Femmes to James Blunt.
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[edit] Beginnings and Sohcahtoa
Breaking Laces originated in early 2003 when frontman Willem Hartong recorded a solo album with producer Chris Liberti. The album was recorded mostly in Liberti's Queens apartment, along with cellist Dave Eggar. When the album tracks were complete, Hartong began searching for a band to take on tour. The band's name comes from an older Hartong tune of the same name, about a time when he was rejected from a dance club by the doorman because of the wide breakdancing shoelaces on his sneakers. When the album was completed, it was given the name Sohcahtoa, a tribute to his mathmetician brother.
The first addition to Breaking Laces was drummer Seth Masarsky. Masarsky and Hartong first met and played together while living in Boston, MA. Masarsky has a long history of drumming including major touring with Melissa Ferrick, and was at the time a member of a New Jersey band called Darby Jones. When Hartong moved to Brooklyn, and Masarsky to New Jersey, the two began formulating a sound together that would replace the drum machine sound of the percussion on Sohcahtoa, and at the same time began hunting for a bassist for the band.
After a few gigs with a few members, Masarsky asked fellow Darby Jones member Rob Chojnacki if he would be interested in playing a few shows with Breaking Laces. Chojnacki went to go see the band perform in May of 2003 at CBGB in New York City. At the end of the show, Chojnacki answered Masarsky's question with a resounding yes.
In June of 2003, they met at Masarsky's house to practice the songs on Sohcahtoa, a few other Hartong songs, and even a few Radiohead covers that would soon become a staple of any Breaking Laces live show. The threesome clicked remarkably well, with Chojnacki bringing fresh backing vocals to the table. They began touring in late 2003 and have been on the road ever since, taking occasional breaks to strengthen their set lists, write and record new albums, and even add new mechanical members to the band.
The band's second album Operation Income is not considered by the band as an official release, but more of a b-side compilation from the Sohcahtoa sessions, with alternate versions of the songs on the debut album, along with other songs that did not make the cut. Operation Income was released around the same time as Sohcahtoa and was minimally promoted.
However, Sohcahtoa received wide college radio play and even made it onto the CMJ Top 200 National charts, edging in at #198 at its best. This allowed the band to receive larger than normal crowds at venues around the country as the band made its first few tours in 2003-2004. The band also made quite a buzz, and eventually performed a live show on XM Satellite Radio, giving them an even wider audience, boosting album sales, and spreading their fanbase far and wide.
[edit] Lemonade
While touring for Sohcahtoa Breaking Laces had been keeping their eyes on the goal of a new album, the first to include all three members of the now solidified band. In February of 2005, they began recording what was to become Lemonade. The album was again produced by Chris Liberti, and recorded mainly at Dangerous Music in Long Island, a studio run by drum legend Mark Ambrosino.
The range of songs considered for this album were culled from Hartong's past bands and sessions, their experiences touring, and also from band camp, an annual self-imposed lockout the band submits themselves to. One song on the album, Reprise was initially intended to be a slower-tempoed reprise of an early version of Shack Up SOS. But after Shack Up SOS became a far different song via the recording process, the band decided to leave Reprise as is on the album, to entertain if not to confuse.
This new album was completed in the summer/fall of 2005, however there was now a heated debate over the title, which included suggestions such as No Refunds, Swallowing Superheroes, It's Not Gay if You Don't Kiss (a band camp rule), and Guess How I Am (pulled from the lyrics of a session track called Bone Dry which was later dropped from the album). It was only on tour when the band had had a rough few days dealing with a few venues, and even the producers of Lemonade, that someone in the van noted that "people keep throwing lemons at us, and we keep making lemonade". It seemed only natural that the collection of songs, culled from a recording session that was increasingly strained, should be called Lemonade, and so it was.
With the recording process done, Breaking Laces again turned their focus to touring. On a chance, they entered a contest, whose grand prize was an all-expense paid tour of the UK. The contest, run by CMEAS, would host three American bands for one month of daily showcases in England, Scotland, and Wales. 1,045 bands entered and three bands, Breaking Laces, Oh My God, and Mudfunk, were selected as the grand prize winners. The 2005 UK tour was the first major opportunity for Breaking Laces to showcase the songs of Lemonade, and get the album in the hands of a wide market. The tour also opened the door for them to book their own tours in the UK.
Complete with the artwork of Future Animators of the Future member Keith Vincent, Lemonade was officially released in January of 2006. With a large radio campaign, Breaking Laces again hit the CMJ Top 200 National charts, this time peaking at #66, and still charting to this date.
In August 2006, the band, facing a Fall tour campaign starting in October, decided to record and self-produce a new album to promote on the tour. With only one month with which to work, they completed a 6-song EP entitled Astronomy is my life, but i love you. The album was recorded in Masarsky's basement with final mastering done by Steve Kadison at Sony Studios in New York City.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Primary Albums
- Sohcahtoa - (2003 - Sidewinder Records, Meekasalise Music)
- Lemonade - (2006 - Meekasalise Music)
[edit] EP's and Singles
- Astronomy is my life, but i love you - (20006 - Meekasalise Music)
- God In Training - (2003 - Sidewinder Records, Meekasalise Music)
- Operation Income - (2003 - Sidewinder Records, Meekasalise Music)
- Not From Concentrate - (2006 - Meekasalise Music)
