Special Report, Music Review: The Broken Stems

The first inclination I get listening to The Broken Stems, is to follow the dancing notes in my imagination, like Neo following the White Rabbit into the Matrix. The experience of the Stems is emotional and the instrumental impression makes you feel as if they're in the living room with you. The tone is an invitation to participate and find out what more they have to offer.

The Broken Stems rock the indie sounds to keep the listener groovin’. The bluesy-vocals by lead singer, Jesse Gawlik, create a salutary sound which draws the audience into the music. Whether live on a stage or blasting the tracks through your speakers, you're bound to fall head over heels for this band. Their upcoming album promises to provide listeners with delicate balance of dance steps and hip sway to keep you chasing the notes.

As the band has formed and shaped in the past year, coming from a variety of backgrounds, they’ve proven their ability to produce music that stands out from other San Diego bands by simply embracing their blues originality, despite having started - immersed in the reggae scene.

While their anticipated EP will only feature a fraction of their songs, it's undeniable the band's science of sounds are completely soul driven.  

Between the singing harmony of the keys and Gawlik's creative guitar, there's a trance-like lure. Still they often throw in the remnants of a reggae beat, like in the song “Lion’s Den” or “Antibots,” and they are able to lighten the mood, progressing from one state of mind to the next. The track, "Around the Bend," reflects some of the light reggae beats, but has been deeply salted with background vocals and smoother transitions. 

The song, “Just a Man,” the tone carries just the right mood for a classical rock swing. The hard drum beats demand attention and it’s worth adding to a retro-rock mix.In "Castles," one of the band's best new tracks on their coming EP, it takes the listener inside their own mind with self-reflective lyrics and steady beat followed by echoing keys drawing you into their rock and roll vibe.  

But then songs like, "Classico,” a complete instrumental song, shows off the texture of the band’s combined talent. It starts with an invitation from the keys, a modern classical, bringing in a low plucking of the guitar, adding just enough bass and drum to make the song sound completely improvised. The interlude is a gracious pause between the song’s impressive rock entertainment. 

The Broken Stems are stepping up and preparing to release an album that will surely electrify their fans and keep them coming back to shows for more. You’ll feel like you’ve taken the red pill for this one; the experience of the Stems is a realistic embrace of the new generation’s cultural attraction to blues-rock music. 

The band's summer performance at the Muir Fest in Ocean Beach and 710 Beach Club proved their ability to keep a crowd entertained. The Broken Stems will be releasing their first ever EP, We Are Home, October 26th at 710 Beach Club in Pacific Beach. Meantime, I recommend you check them out at http://brokenstems.com.