Not your usual popular fluff

The first four tunes are very catchy and immediately pulled me in, but I was surprised at how much more there was to explore. This CD is not just a collection of good rock songs that work well together. It has depth that comes from struggle, has a lot of contrasts, has a lot of variation in expression - sometimes using a bitter irony to express the pain of rejection. "Hand me Down" and "Murder 101" are obvious examples of that irony. It tends toward negativity, but it's not a world-weary or twisted kind of negativity; it's more about an awakening to disppointment and facing it. "Some Flowers Never Bloom" is a sad song about a broken relationship, but it has an upbeat kind of tempo and a catchy refrain.



The strongest song on the CD in my opinion is "I've been Delivered". The lyrics are about a struggle against conformity: "I would move swift when the sounds of a trumpet would blow/I've been the puppet/I've been the strings/I know the vacant face it brings". Another song about deliverance is the hidden track "Baby Bird".



This is a CD that wears well with many good songs tightly put together.

Best Of Wallflowers

When people first hear about The Wallflowers, straight away the immediate thought to their mind would be Jakob Dylan, son of the legendary musician Bob Dylan. Nevertheless, i would like to say that The Wallflowers have shown tremendous maturity in "Breach" and I think had done better than "Bringing Down The Horse", the album that most people would be familiar of. Certain songs like "Hand me down" and "Some Flowers Bloom Dead" contain catchy hooks but with a straightforward approach and they are just so effective in that. But Wallflowers are more than just mainstream rock with energy-pumping songs like "Letters from the wasteland" and "Murder 101". "Birdcage", the finale sounds so much like a lullaby that will send me applauding "Breach" with ease.

A Mature Masterpiece

Most bands falter under the pressure of following up a huge album. And all too often a stylistic shift dooms good artists. Yet here the Wallflowers defeat both those challenges with an incredible, beautiful album. They move away from the rockin sound of their wildly successful Bringing Down the Horse and deliver a more stripped-down acoustic based, folk inspired album. This works perfectly, and the results are moving. The soulful "Mourning Train", visual "Some Flowers Bloom Dead", and "Up From Under" all carry Jakob Dylan's genius lyrics and wordplay along with some of his best vocals yet. "Letters From the Wasteland" and the single "Sleepwalker" turn up the volume a little but but lose nothing in the power department. Breach didn't sell nearly as well as BDTH or the next album Red Letter Days, which further proves the mainstream public doesn't know good music (although the Wallflowers are one modern rock band fighting all the crap). This is a ten-song masterpiece that you will not just hear but FEEL. Anyone with parents will understand the despair of "Hand Me Down" and that's just the beginning. Don't buy the "flop" argument around this album, it's just too good for most people. Don't be one of them!!!

Excellent Album from a Talented Band

I have to confess that I bought "Breach" after I read some interviews with Jakob Dylan and was impressed by how articulate and down to earth he seemed (I bought "Bringing Down the Horse" after I bought this album). I am a huge Bob Dylan fan but have tried my hardest to not let that influence my opinion of his youngest son's band. And it wasn't hard at all. Jakob Dylan is not his father and shouldn't be as harshly compared as he is sometimes; after all, NO ONE writes like Bob Dylan. His son, however, has proven himself to be pretty darn talented in his own right. Jakob's skill as a songwriter is amazing; he lyrics are solid and intelligent all throughout this album, and besides that, the Wallflowers are a genuinely talented band. Their instrumentals are first-rate and fit perfectly with Jakob's smooth voice. Favorite tracks here are "Letters From the Wasteland," "Hand Me Down," "Sleepwalker," and "Birdcage." All of the songs seem to be deeply personal, and there isn't one on here I don't like. This is an album from a group who worked hard to get where they are today, and the result is a refreshingly candid work from a genuinely talented singer-songwriter and his band. If you like good music, buy "Breach." It has a key place in my CD collection, an honor considering that I am a huge "Classic Rock" fan and The Wallflowers are one of the only modern bands I like. This is an album that would make Bob proud. Way to go Jakob, Rami, Gregg, Michael and Mario! You guys rock!

Now THIS is some music here!

At first listen, Breach doesn't sound as good as Bringing Down the Horse. Breach is much more introspective, so therefore it may not have as much mass appeal. However, give it a few more spins, and soon you won't want to take it out of your CD player! Breach is actually a better, more consistent album than BDTH. All the tracks are excellent, from the hard-rocking Letters From the Wasteland to the beautiful hidden track Babybird. The smart, melodic folk-rock is perfect for every mood. The lyrics are deep and poetic, although it takes a few listens to fully grasp Dylan's shades of meaning. He has also grown as a singer since 1996, showing off a range and expression that I didn't know he possessed. With all that in place, Jakob Dylan once again proves that he is perfectly capable of stepping out of his father's immense shadow (in my opinion, he is just as talented--his singing voice is much better, at any rate). The question is whether or not this top-notch collection will find an audience in the era of TRL.

So if you are sick of the boy bands and Britneys, buy this album! Breach is the work of a singer-songwriter and a talented band, as opposed to a lip-synching teen idol working on automatic pilot. It is the perfect antidote to the materialistic and shallow landscape that defines the majority of today's pop music. It's just a shame that the public wasn't more receptive to it.

Whassupppppp

I really do not understand these reviews. How can this record be considered stellar? HA! What a joke. The production is way too polished, the songs are simply dull. The hidden track is really the only decent track on the cd. I guess they are just trying to make some spending money (i would imagine it will sell millions...probably even win a grammy!) and sacrifice the creativity. I heard their first album and thought it was great....the second one was better.....and now this! C'mon guys! Jacob needs a little tutoring from his pop. This record, coming from a band with potential, simply sucks.